The Battles of Saratoga in 1777 helped persuade France to openly support the United States during the American Revolution. The campaign culminated in the surrender of British General John Burgoyne’s army at Saratoga, New York.
The victory was strategically important because it demonstrated that the American forces could defeat a major British army. France had already provided covert aid, but Saratoga encouraged a formal alliance with the United States in 1778. French military, naval, and financial assistance then became a major factor in the war.
Saratoga is often described as a turning point, but it did not end the Revolution. Fighting continued for several more years, including major operations in the southern colonies and the 1781 Yorktown campaign. The name can also be confusing because “Saratoga” refers to a campaign and connected battles rather than only one brief clash.