Which Revolutionary War victory helped persuade France to openly support the United States?

The Battle of Saratoga helped persuade France to openly support the United States during the Revolutionary War.

The Battles of Saratoga took place in New York in 1777 and ended with the surrender of British General John Burgoyne’s army. The American victory demonstrated that the Continental forces could defeat a major British army in the field.

France had already provided some covert assistance, but Saratoga encouraged a formal alliance. The Treaty of Alliance was signed in 1778, bringing French military and naval support into the war. French involvement became especially important in the campaign that ended at Yorktown.

Saratoga is often called a turning point, but it was not the final battle of the war. Fighting continued for several years, and the peace settlement came with the Treaty of Paris in 1783.