Important People
Who was the British general who led the invasion from Canada in 1777?
John Burgoyne
On what date was the Battle of Freeman’s Farm fought?
September 19, 1777
On what date did Burgoyne surrender his army?
October 17, 1777
In which New York town is Saratoga Battlefield located?
Stillwater, New York.
Who commanded the American Northern Army during the Saratoga campaign?
Horatio Gates
What city did the British hope to capture to help divide the American colonies?
Albany, New York
Approximately how many British and German troops surrendered?
Nearly 6,000
What was Neilson’s Farm used for by the American army?
It was part of the American camp, and its house served as headquarters for Generals Arnold and Poor.
Which American battlefield leader was wounded during the fighting at Bemis Heights?
Benedict Arnold
What was the name of the second major battle fought on October 7, 1777?
The Battle of Bemis Heights
Name one factor that weakened Burgoyne’s army before surrender.
Low food supplies, worsening weather, or continued American attacks.
What kind of terrain surrounded the battlefield at Bemis Heights?
Elevated ground, hills, ravines, and steep bluffs.
Which American commander led a corps of riflemen during both major battles?
Daniel Morgan
What natural waterway was important to Britain’s strategy of dividing New England from the other colonies?
The Hudson River
Which European country formally allied with the United States in 1778 after Saratoga helped convince it to intervene?
France
Which Loyalist woman walked about 22 miles carrying her nine-month-old baby to reach the British camp?
Elizabeth “Betsy” Munro Fisher.
Which British officer’s army surrendered to the Americans on October 17, 1777?
John Burgoyne
Why was Freeman’s Farm considered a costly British victory?
The British held the battlefield, but suffered heavy casualties and failed to advance past the American defenses.
Why is Saratoga considered a turning point in the American Revolution?
It stopped Britain’s plan to isolate New England and helped secure French military and financial support for the Americans.
Why did Patriots use Jane McCrea’s death in political propaganda?
They used it to criticize Britain’s alliance with Indigenous warriors; the exact circumstances of her death remain disputed.