The French navy played a key role in the American Revolution by fighting the British and providing support to the American colonies. The French navy's efforts helped secure the American victory and end the war. The French navy transported reinforcements to the American colonies. In 1781, the French navy defeated the British fleet, which helped the American ground forces win the Battle of Yorktown. In 1782, the French navy was defeated by the British at the Battle of the Saintes. France challenged Britain for control of the English Channel, the Caribbean, Gibraltar, and the North American coast. France provided economic aid to the American colonies in the form of donations and loans. France provided technical assistance to the American colonies, including sending military strategists to help American troops.

France had been engaged in periodic wars with Great Britain. However, being a colonial power, they did not want to appear to be endorsing rebellious colonies. Two years after the American Revolutionaries declared the independence of the United States, France formalized its alliance with the new country. Continental soldiers used French weapons and wore French-made uniforms and, by the end of the war, they fought alongside French soldiers. The French army and navy battled the British all over the world, from Asia and Africa to the Caribbean, which stretched the capabilities of the British war effort in America. A number of Revolutionary War battles didn’t even include Americans, the last battle of the war occurred when British and French ships clashed off the coast of India in 1783.