The American colonies signed a “Treaty of Alliance with France” with King Louis XVI on February 6, 1778 to formalize France’s financial and military support of the revolutionary government in America. It stipulated that “The essential and direct End of the present defensive alliance is to effectively maintain the liberty, Sovereignty, and independence, absolute and unlimited, of the said United States, as well in matters of government as of commerce.” Prior to this, France had quietly supported the American cause for years. The Franco-American alliance is considered by many to be the single most important diplomatic success of the colonists during the War for Independence.
The Year in Revolution Series was produced with classroom use in mind. Beginning with 1775 and ending with 1783, students and lifelong learners alike will learn about each year of the Revolution through a comprehensive overview video and five “who, what, where, when, and how” videos. The animated series draws heavily from the American Revolution Institute of the Society of the Cincinnati’s library and museum collections.
Funding for theYear in Revolution 1778: The Franco-American Alliance was made possible by a grant from the George S. Rich Family Foundation. The creative team for this series was assembled by the American Revolution Institute and the talented educational production leads at Makematic Limited.
View all our 1775, 1776, 1777, and 1778 series episodes at www.americanrevolutioninstitute.org or subscribe to our YouTube Channel!
Learn about our current Anderson House exhibition celebrating our Revolutionary Beginnings 250 years later!