Declaration of Independence  Purpose: to tell the French and the rest of the countries of Europe why the Americans started the revolution  Written by Thomas Jefferson with a committee of helpers

Declaration of Independence  Three main parts:  Introduction  List of the King’s Faults  Conclusion  Main ideas:  Social Contract—King George III and Parliament are not holding up their end of the bargain, so the Americans can form their own government  King’s violations of the colonists’: taxes, imprisoning colonists, soldiers in the cities, etc.

French Connection  Why did the French want to help?  They lost territory to the British in the French and Indian War ( )  They had fought several wars with the British in the 18 th century and wanted revenge  Secret Committee of Correspondence talked with the French  Benjamin Franklin was the main negotiator, he wrote letters to the French Foreign Minister Comte de Vergennes  French gave secret aid through an American merchant

French Connection  After the Declaration, three men, including Benjamin Franklin, went to France to negotiate from  French were worried because of early colonial losses  Franklin was popular and trusted with the French government and aristocracy, so that helped  the French actually manufactured souvenirs with his face on them  The French thought he represented the Enlightenment  French gave a secret loan to the Americans  French signed a treaty with the Americans in 1778 after the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga

Franklin’s Souvenirs

French Connection  : The French gave the Americans  Military supplies  Arms  Ammunition  Uniforms  Soldiers  Navy help

French Connection  “French assistance was crucial in securing the British surrender at Yorktown in 1781.” /french-alliance /french-alliance

American Revolution Timeline  meline.html