The Americans were losing the war. From the winter of 1775 to early fall of 1777, they had lost key battles in Canada, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. George Washington, having lost control of Philadelphia, led his troops to Valley Forge to spend a desperate winter.

But the Battle of Saratoga in northern New York in October 1777 served as a critical turning point in the American's favor. The British attempt to capture the Hudson River Valley ended with their surrender to American General Horatio Gates.

None of the world's powers had come to the aid of the patriot cause—yet. But the victory at Saratoga caught Europe's attention. In early 1778, the French agreed to recognize American independence and formed a permanent alliance with the new nation. Military help and sizable stores of much-needed gunpowder soon arrived. The tide was beginning to turn.