Which Revolutionary War battles are widely described as a major turning point of the war?

The Battles of Saratoga are widely described as a major turning point of the American Revolutionary War. Fought near Saratoga, New York, on September 19 and October 7, 1777, they ended in a decisive American victory.

British General John Burgoyne led an army south from Canada in an attempt to divide the American colonies along the Hudson River. American forces commanded by Horatio Gates, with important battlefield contributions from Benedict Arnold and others, stopped Burgoyne’s advance. Burgoyne surrendered his army on October 17.

The victory had consequences beyond the battlefield. It persuaded France to enter an open alliance with the United States in 1778, providing troops, money, supplies, and naval support. Saratoga is sometimes described as one battle, but the name properly refers to two principal engagements in the campaign: Freeman’s Farm and Bemis Heights.