The significant battle in 1777 that helped convince France to support American independence was the Battle of Saratoga. This pivotal engagement featured two battles fought eighteen days apart in the fall of 1777. The American forces, led by General Horatio Gates, succeeded in defeating the British army under General John Burgoyne. This American victory proved crucial, as it demonstrated to the French that the colonial forces could defeat the British. France’s support came in the form of military assistance, supplies, and eventually a formal alliance, significantly boosting the American war effort and contributing to the ultimate success of the American Revolution.