French involvement proved decisive, with a French naval victory in the Chesapeake leading to the surrender of a British army at Yorktown in 1781. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 ended the war and recognized the sovereignty of the United States over the territory bounded by what is now Canada to the north, Florida to the south, and the Mississippi River to the west.
The war of American independence could be summed up as a civil war fought on foreign soil, as opposing forces comprised both nations' residents. That said, it is a war that America could not have survived without French assistance.
http://www.revolutionarywar101.com/
Like so many things in our world and in history; there is more to the story than what we might commonly know. The French and American relationship goes much deeper than french fries and fresh bread. There is a complexity and dynamic here that can be felt and tasted in a glass of wine; a glass of French wine. Cheers!
Come see me for some excellent selections today.