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

The Battle of Saratoga is often called the turning point of the American Revolutionary War.

The Saratoga campaign took place in 1777 in New York, where American forces defeated British General John Burgoyne’s army. The decisive American victory followed two major engagements: Freeman’s Farm on September 19 and Bemis Heights on October 7. Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga on October 17, 1777, bringing roughly 5,900 British and allied troops under American control.

Saratoga mattered internationally because the victory helped persuade France to recognize the United States and enter the war openly. The Franco-American alliance supplied troops, money, naval power, and military expertise, all of which shaped the later campaign at Yorktown. Saratoga was not the final battle of the war, and the fighting continued for years afterward. Yorktown produced the decisive British surrender in 1781, while Saratoga changed the diplomatic and strategic balance that made eventual American independence more achievable. The campaign is therefore central to understanding the road to the 250th anniversary.