“The shock to the Filipinos was tremendous. Their goal was not the future, but the present, not a period of tutelage, but immediate independence Emilio Aguinaldo, having proclaimed himself dictator, reacted immediately, “He Allegedly Issued a Declaration of Independence of this Beloved Country”, and called for an assembly of the leaders to meet at Cavite Various congresses

were convened within succeeding

months to hammer out the terms of a modern constitution. Aguinaldo’s own title was changed from that of dictator to President of the Revolutionary Government of the Filipinos. The relationship between the Americans and Filipinos worsened, and on February 5, 1899, the situation exploded into war.”