00:00Did you know that the U.S. gained its independence partly because France held a grudge?
00:05To understand, let's rewind to 1763.
00:08The Seven Years' War had just ended with France being defeated by the British,
00:13which meant France had to give up Canada.
00:15France viewed its defeat as a humiliation,
00:18so it harbored a grudge against the British,
00:20which would resurface years later, in 1776.
00:24At that time, the British had colonies in North America,
00:27but 13 of them staged an armed revolution
00:30and declared their independence on July 4th, 1776.
00:35For this new sovereignty to be recognized,
00:38the rebellious colonies needed support.
00:40So, they went knocking on France's door.
00:43Remember, at this time, France still hadn't gotten over its defeat a few years earlier,
00:49and it wanted to get revenge.
00:51French support for the rebels of the 13 colonies first took place on an individual level.
00:56This was during the Enlightenment,
00:58with French intellectuals and nobles gathering to discuss philosophy and current events.
01:03They were drawn to the colony's struggle for freedom.
01:06So, dozens of men passionate about the American Revolution decided to take personal action.
01:11Like the Marquis de Lafayette.
01:14He was drawn to the military victories,
01:16but also wanted to take revenge on the English,
01:19who killed his father during the Seven Years' War.
01:21So, he bought a boat, crossed the Atlantic,
01:24and went to fight alongside the Americans against the British.
01:27Meanwhile, France under King Louis XVI was supporting the Americans, but secretly.
01:33It sent weapons to the rebels,
01:35but did not want to officially commit to a war it might lose.
01:38In 1777, the rebels won a decisive battle.
01:42Convinced that they could win,
01:44France saw a reason to fully commit to their cause.
01:47So, the following year, the French officially recognized the sovereignty of the United States of America.
01:53This was a very important treaty,
01:55because it committed France to fighting against the British alongside the Americans.
02:00The French sent troops, fought in naval battles,
02:03and provided financial aid to the rebels,
02:05equivalent to $30 billion in today's currency.
02:08France even played a decisive role in 1781,
02:12at the Battle of Yorktown in Virginia.
02:13Thanks to French troops, including Lafayette,
02:16who fought alongside the Americans,
02:19the British surrendered.
02:20On September 3rd, 1783,
02:23the British recognized the independence of the United States,
02:26and signed a peace treaty in Paris.
02:29So, the French finally got their revenge for the Seven Years' War.
02:33And with this treaty, the grudge changed sides.
02:36The English refused to pose for the Painting Commission following the negotiations.
02:40means.
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