Benjamin Franklin Persuades France to Join the Revolution

As America struggled during the revolutionary war, it wasn't just battles which were lost to Britain. Trade with the mother country, so vital to keep the flow of supplies in tact, was no longer possible.

Benjamin Franklin, America's most experienced statesman, was sent to France where he tried to persuade King Louis XVI to aid the newly created United States. Before helping, however, the King wanted proof that the Americans could win major battles on their own.

John Burgoyne, a British commander, helped to turn the course of history when he suffered a major defeat at Saratoga. For the first time, the King of France began to believe the Americans could actually win their war of independence.