Which 1777 campaign became a turning point by helping bring France into the American Revolutionary War?

The Battles of Saratoga became a turning point in 1777 by helping bring France into the American Revolutionary War.

The campaign consisted mainly of two major battles fought near Saratoga, New York: the Battle of Freeman’s Farm on September 19 and the Battle of Bemis Heights on October 7. American forces under Horatio Gates defeated the British army commanded by General John Burgoyne.

Burgoyne’s surrender on October 17 was strategically important because it demonstrated that the Continental Army could defeat a major British force. The victory encouraged France to recognize the United States and enter the war as an American ally in 1778.

Saratoga is sometimes described as a single battle, but the name properly refers to the campaign and its connected engagements. The victory did not end the war, and fighting continued for years. French military, naval, financial, and diplomatic support later became crucial to the American war effort.