Question

What were the results of the Battle of Saratoga?

Answer 1

Hint: On September 19, the opposing armies met on the abandoned farm of Loyalist John Freeman near Saratoga, New York. The fierce combat, known as the Battle of Freeman's Farm or the First Battle of Saratoga, lasted many hours.

Complete answer:
- At the Battle of Saratoga, the British attempt to drive a wedge between the New England colonies and the rest of the American colonies was thwarted. The British army that was driving down the Hudson River was defeated and surrendered. If the British had won the battle of Saratoga, the Hudson River Valley would have been under British rule, cutting New England off from the rest of the colonies. This is most likely how England would have won the battle.
- The French were persuaded by the American armies' victory at Saratoga that the Americans had a chance of beating the British. The French desired an opportunity to retaliate against the British, who had defeated them in the French and Indian wars. The role of France in the American Revolution was crucial to the eventual victory and independence of the United States. The French would not have joined the Americans if the battle of Saratoga had not occurred.
- As a result of the battle of Saratoga, Benedict Arnold became enraged with the American leadership. While Benedict Arnold won the war, General Gates was given credit for it. This provocation may have been the catalyst for Benedict Arnold's transformation into a traitor.
- The French were persuaded to recognize American independence and freely provide military aid after the Americans won the Battles of Saratoga. It also boosted Gates' reputation, to the point that he was being considered to succeed George Washington as Continental Army commander-in-chief. However, the idea was quashed, and Washington remained in his place until the British surrendered in 1781.

Note: The victory at Saratoga is widely regarded as a watershed moment in the battle. It not only boosted public confidence in the United States, but it also persuaded potential allies, such as France, that the United States might win the war and that sending assistance would be in their best interests.