The Battle of Saratoga was fought in present-day New York. The campaign consisted of two major battles near Saratoga in 1777, ending with the surrender of British General John Burgoyne’s army to American forces.
The first battle, at Freeman’s Farm, took place on September 19, 1777. The second, at Bemis Heights, occurred on October 7. American forces under General Horatio Gates and other commanders forced Burgoyne to surrender at Saratoga on October 17.
The victory was a turning point in the American Revolutionary War. It demonstrated that the Continental Army could defeat a major British field army and encouraged France to enter the war openly on the American side. The French alliance brought military, financial, and naval support that became crucial to the eventual American victory.
Saratoga is sometimes described as a single battle, but historians commonly refer to the two engagements as the Battles of Saratoga or the Saratoga campaign. The battlefield is preserved as Saratoga National Historical Park.