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British troops land in Boston to enforce the Townshend duties (taxes on paint, paper, tea, etc., passed in June 1767) and clamp down on local radicals. -
King George III isn't willing to let his subjects go without a figth, and loyalist sentiment remains strong in many areas. -
As a result of the patriot victory at Saratoga and American diplomatic efforts, France allies itself with the new American government. -
The Treaty of Paris ratifies the independence of the 13 North American states.
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A convention of states in Philadelphia proposes the Constitution to replace the much looser central government operating under the Articles of Consideration (adopted in 1777).