The Battle of Saratoga
The Turning Point of the war
In 1777, the Continental Army needed a victory. British forces had captured New York and pushed Washington's army for a while all the way through New Jersey into Pennsylvania. A new British force of 6,000 men, led by General John Burgoyne marched south from Canada to Albany, New York to meet a larger group of British soldiers stationed in New York City. During the march through heavily forested areas, American militia attacked Burgoyne's men from all sides. American troops surrounded Burgoyne's fighter's near Saratoga, New York, and forced them to surrender. The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the war. It gave hope that they could defeat the British.