French Impact on the American Revolution By Adam Balmer

Before France entered the Revolution France was nervous to enter into a war with Great Britain right after the 7 years war. They were worried that even France and the Rebels could not take on Britain. France did trade with America through a fictitious trading company.

Before France entered the Revolution By fall of 1776 France had already shipped to the Continentals:  300,000 pounds of gunpowder  30,000 muskets  3,000 tents  200 pieces of artillery  Clothing for 30,000 soldiers Needless to say that these supplies were a large asset to the Continental Army.

France coming into the war The next year in 1777, the Battle of Saratoga commenced. The Continental army inflicted heavy casualties on the British. Many people consider this battle to be the turning point of the war. After this battle, France was ready to come into the war.

France coming into the war On February 6, 1778, Benjamin Franklin and two other American commissioners signed the Treaty of Alliance and a Treaty of Amity and Commerce with France. Article 8 of the Treaty of Alliance with France states, “Neither of the two parties shall conclude either truce or peace, with Great Britain, without the formal consent of the other first obtained; and they mutually engage not to lay down their arms until the independence of the United States shall have been formally or tacitly assured by the treaty or treaties that shall terminate the war.”

The French Military France sent many soldiers and ships to help the Continental army. Some French troops even volunteered to go to America to fight. Among these volunteers was General Marquis de Lafayette.

Marquis de Lafayette Lafayette sailed to America in 1777 and he was willing to serve as a general for free. He was named as a major-general in the continental army. With Lafayette, France was much more obligated to send soldiers. He helped the continental army in different battles, and he helped pin down General Lord Cornwallis in Yorktown as George Washington made his way.

Comte de Rochambeau Comte de Rochambeau was another French General that played a major role in America’s independence. He commanded an army of about 5,500 soldiers. He worked hard on making good relations with the Americans. He joined George Washington’s forces in the spring of 1781.

The French Navy The French Navy helped tremendously in the War. They kept Great Britain from getting complete control over the Atlantic Ocean. The Navy even caused many distractions in Europe to help some of the focus stray away from the Americas.

The Run-up to the Battle of Yorktown In mid-1781, Washington was going to use his combined French and American army to push British forces out of New York. This changed on August 14, 1781, when General Rochambeau found out that French Admiral de Grasse and a large fleet would soon be close to the Chesapeake bay. This set up the news for the final and decisive military campaign of the Revolutionary War.

The Run-up to the Battle of Yorktown Washington made plans to attack Cornwallis with the help from the large French fleet commanded by the Count de Grasse. Lafayette was busy holding Cornwallis at Yorktown. De Grasse destroyed the British fleet at the Battle of Virginia Capes. Washington and Rochambeau were busy marching South to get to Yorktown.

The Battle of Yorktown All of these elements put together the foundations of the battle of Yorktown. Washington, Rochambeau, and Lafayette encircled Yorktown where they steadily overcame the British fortifications. The French Navy denied Cornwallis his reinforcements and he had to surrender.

The Treaty of Paris The Revolution ended with the Treaty of Paris in Between the French supplies, troops, and navy, the Continental Army probably would not have been able to when the war without the French.

Works Cited Paris.html Cornwallis Surrenders at Yorktown. n.d. surrenders-at-yorktown (accessed November 24, 2014). Motier, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roche Gilbert du. Marquis de Lafayette. n.d. (accessed November 24, 2014). The French Alliance and The Winning of American Independence. n.d. resources/american-revolution-essays-timelines-images/the-french-alliance/ (accessed November 24, 2014). Treaty of Alliance with France. n.d. bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=008/llsl008.db&recNum=21 (accessed November 21, 2014). Wilde, Robert. France in the American Revolution (accessed November 24, 2014).