<Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . (December 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . (December 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> <P> French involvement in the American Revolutionary War began in 1775, when France, a rival of the British Empire, secretly shipped supplies to the Continental Army . A Treaty of Alliance in 1778 soon followed, which led to shipments of money and matériel to the United States . Subsequently, the Spanish Empire and the Dutch Republic also began to send assistance, leaving the British Empire with no allies . </P> <P> France's help is considered a vital and decisive contribution to the United States' victory against the British . As a cost of participation in the war, France accumulated over 1 billion livres in debt . </P>

How did the french help the colonists in the american revolution
find me the text answering this question