Which 1777 American Revolutionary War campaign is widely called a major turning point?

The Battles of Saratoga are widely called a major turning point of the American Revolutionary War.

The two principal battles occurred near Saratoga, New York, on September 19 and October 7, 1777. American forces ultimately defeated the British army commanded by General John Burgoyne, who surrendered on October 17.

General Horatio Gates led the American army, while Benedict Arnold played an important battlefield role before later becoming associated with treason. The victory stopped Britain’s attempt to divide New England from the middle and southern colonies through the Hudson River Valley.

Saratoga persuaded France that the American cause had a realistic chance of success. France subsequently entered the war as an American ally, providing troops, money, weapons, and naval support. The campaign is sometimes confused with Yorktown, the later 1781 victory that led directly to peace negotiations.