Diplomacy of the American Revolution
1775–1783
A Rebellion Seeks Foreign Partners
In November 1775, before the United States possessed an established foreign service, the Continental Congress created a committee to correspond with sympathizers abroad, seek supplies, and explain the colonial cause. Benjamin Franklin used scientific and personal acquaintances to reach influential Europeans, sending letters through trusted associates to reduce the danger of British interception. [1]
Agents in London, Paris, and Philadelphia exchanged proposals while British naval power obstructed Atlantic crossings; the capture of Philadelphia in 1777 made communication harder. French assistance initially moved through concealed channels because ministers in Paris wanted to weaken Britain without immediately accepting the risks of open war. [1] [2]
Turning Military News into an Alliance
News of the British surrender at Saratoga reached France in late 1777 and strengthened the American negotiating position. Foreign Minister Vergennes also feared that Britain might reconcile with its colonies. On 6 February 1778, Franklin, Silas Deane, and Arthur Lee signed treaties of commerce and alliance with France. The alliance prohibited either partner from making a separate peace with Britain. Spain entered the war against Britain in 1779, pursuing its own territorial objectives. [2]
French money, equipment, soldiers, and naval power helped sustain the American war effort and made the victory at Yorktown in 1781 possible. Britain faced several opponents with different demands; American independence had to be negotiated alongside a wider European settlement. The American commissioners needed to preserve French support while bargaining directly with British representatives over the future of the thirteen states. [2] [3]
Independence in a Negotiated Settlement
Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay insisted that Britain recognize independence. Their negotiations in Paris produced preliminary articles on 30 November 1782, conditional on a British settlement with France. The definitive treaty between Britain and the United States followed on 3 September 1783. [3] [4]
The treaty recognized the United States, defined its boundaries, and addressed fisheries, creditors, Loyalist property, and the evacuation of British forces. Subsequent American diplomacy with Britain and France would involve the implementation of these promises and the strain of renewed European warfare, including the later Quasi-War with France. [4]
Sources
- Secret Committee of Correspondence and Committee for Foreign Affairs, 1775–1777
Paragraphs on the November 1775 committee, Franklin’s trusted couriers, clandestine assistance, and the British blockade
- French Alliance and European Diplomacy During the American Revolution
Paragraphs on Saratoga, the treaties of 6 February 1778, Spain, and assistance at Yorktown
- Treaty of Paris, 1783
Paragraphs on the commissioners, preliminary articles of November 1782, and the peace of September 1783
- Treaty of Paris, 3 September 1783
Treaty preamble and Articles 1–7; institutional introduction
Related Reading
Cite This Article
Diplomacy of the American Revolution. Chanceries Diplopedia. Record 9bff2b35f1881d02c50b. https://chanceries.org/research/history/american-revolution-diplomacy/