How Did France Influence The American Revolution

Diplomatic relations between European nations were the most important factor in determining the success of the American revolution. Without these allies and mutual agreements, the colonists wouldn’t have had the slightest of chances in defeating the British. Out of all the nations the colonists took help from, France served the greatest role. They themselves had a harboring hatred for the British dating back to the Seven Years War and it showed when they were willing to send thousands of weapons and even some of their best military officers to the colonies. That too, the French were risking all their assets when they formed a shell corporation, The Roderigue Hortalez Company, to secretly allow trade with the colonists. France played by far the most physical role in the American Revolution, but second to them was Spain and Holland, who both played a much lighter role as they only sent money for short periods of time. …show more content…
These countries, rather than directly supporting the colonial revolution, instead opposed Britain and this was due to Catherine the Great of Russia’s Armed Neutrality. After the war, the ideas during the American Revolution simply didn’t disappear. Neutrality, free trade, freedom of the seas and globalization were ideas that would eventually play huge roles in nations foreign diplomacy and still do today. There were even many countries that followed in the footsteps of the Americans, as they pursued independence from their ruling countries. Understanding the American Revolution as a European event gives insight into the importance of Anglo-American diplomatic relations and the significance of France and other nations in regard to the success of the colonists, and also the influence the war had on future diplomatic relations in