The Battle of Saratoga in 1777 helped persuade France to ally with the United States.
The Saratoga campaign ended with British General John Burgoyne’s surrender to the American army under Major General Horatio Gates on October 17, 1777. The victory demonstrated that the American forces could defeat a major British army in the field.
France had already provided covert assistance to the American cause, but Saratoga encouraged a formal diplomatic and military alliance. The Treaty of Alliance was signed in February 1778, bringing French troops, ships, money, and supplies into the war against Britain.
Saratoga was not a single clash but a campaign involving several engagements in northern New York. The Battle of Freeman’s Farm and the Battle of Bemis Heights were key actions. Its international consequences make Saratoga one of the most important military turning points connected with the independence story celebrated by America250.