Which American Revolutionary War battle is widely called the conflict’s turning point?

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

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

The American victory had major diplomatic consequences. France, which had already provided covert assistance, judged that the American cause had a realistic chance of success. France formally entered the war as an American ally in 1778, supplying troops, ships, money, and military expertise.

Saratoga did not end the war. Fighting continued for several more years, and the decisive British surrender at Yorktown came in 1781. Saratoga is called a turning point because it transformed foreign perceptions and helped bring France openly into the conflict.