TheAmerican Revolutionary War(1775–1783), also known as theAmerican War of Independence and theRevolutionary Warin the United States, was the armed conflict betweenGreat Britainandthirteen of its North American colonies, which had declared themselves the independentUnited States of America. Early fighting took place primarily on the North American continent. France, eager for revenge after its defeat in theSeven Years' War, signed analliancewith the new nation in 1778 that proved decisive in the ultimate victory. The conflict gradually expanded into aworld warwith Britain combating France,Spain, andthe Netherlands.Fightingalso broke out in India between the BritishEast India Companyand the French alliedKingdom of Mysore.