Which 1777 American Revolutionary War victory is often called the turning point of the conflict?

The Battles of Saratoga are often called the turning point of the American Revolutionary War.

The Saratoga campaign took place in 1777 in the upper Hudson River Valley of New York. American forces first checked General John Burgoyne’s advance at the Battle of Freeman’s Farm on September 19, then won a decisive engagement at Bemis Heights on October 7. Burgoyne surrendered his army at Saratoga on October 17.

The victory demonstrated that the Continental Army could defeat a major British field force. It also changed the diplomatic situation. France, which had secretly aided the American cause, formally entered the war as an American ally in 1778 through the Treaty of Alliance.

Saratoga was not the final battle of the war, and fighting continued for years. The British still held important cities, including New York. However, the surrender encouraged French military and financial support, which became crucial to the American war effort and later contributed to the defeat of British forces.