247 years ago today, on February 6, 1778 (January 10, 1778), France officially recognized the independence of the United States. After the discovery of the new route, colonists from Spain, Portugal and other countries poured into Central and South America, and Spain, Britain, the Netherlands and France also colonized North America. From the beginning of the 17th century to the first half of the 18th century, Britain established 13 colonies along the Atlantic coast of North America. The United States is a colony of Britain. The American War of Independence broke out in April 1775. The Declaration of Independence was issued on July 4, 1776, and 13 colonies in North America declared their independence from Britain. At that time, there was a profound contradiction between France and Britain. In the colonial plunder wars between the two countries in the early and mid-18th century, Britain almost completely expelled French forces from North America and captured Canada from France. France was afraid that after Britain's victory, France would lose its colonies in the West Indies, so France's King Louis XVI officially recognized the independence of the United States on February 6, 1778, signed a treaty of American-French Alliance with the United States, and formally joined the war (later, France also allowed its ally Spain to join the alliance and jointly oppose Britain). In October 1781, the U.S. and French coalition forces achieved another major victory in Yorktown, forcing British commander Cornwalli to surrender.