Which 1777 American victory helped persuade France to enter the Revolutionary War against Britain?

The Battle of Saratoga helped persuade France to enter the Revolutionary War against Britain.

The Battles of Saratoga took place in New York in September and October 1777. American forces under General Horatio Gates defeated a British army commanded by General John Burgoyne, who surrendered at Saratoga on October 17.

The victory mattered beyond the battlefield because it demonstrated that the American rebellion could defeat a major British force. France had already provided covert assistance, but Saratoga encouraged the French government to form an open alliance with the United States. The Treaty of Alliance was signed in February 1778.

Saratoga was not the final American victory; Yorktown in 1781 led to the British surrender that effectively ended major fighting. The two events are often confused because both were turning points. Saratoga’s distinctive importance was its diplomatic effect: French military, naval, and financial support became a decisive part of the later American war effort.