From the beginning of Spanish domination, there existed scores of schools and colleges which were mostly conducted by the religious orders. These schools and colleges offered various courses and graduated numerous priests, lawyers, physicians, pharmacists, and teachers. Increase in the number of professional graduates made possible the rise of an intellectual class in the seventies and eighties. To this group of men, Burgos and Paterno, leaders of the liberal movement of 1870; Dr. Rizal, the Filipino hero; M. H. del Pilar, a prominent propagandist; and Mabini, the brain of the Revolution, belonged--men who, in attainment and culture, can adorn the halls of any nation. Many of the prominent leaders of today also had their training in those schools--Manuel L. Quezon, Sergio Osmeña, T. Pardo de Tavera, Victorino Mapa, Florentino Torres, Teodoro M. Kalaw, Juan Sumulong, Rafael Palma, and many others who have held high positions in the government during the first years of American sovereignty. [Last Decades of Spanish Rule--The Coming of the Americans] The last decades of Spanish rule were marked by several reforms, but these reforms were altogether too conservative and came too late. Consequently there was much discontent and the Filipinos, in August, 1896, following the teachings of the Katipunan, rose in revolt and sought to declare themselves independent of Spain. The revolution extended throughout the archipelago. It was halted by the Pact of Biac-na-Bato in December, 1897, only to be resumed early in the year following, under the very eyes and later with the help of the Americans, who appeared on the scene on May 1, 1898. The Filipinos succeeded in wresting from Spain every foot of Philippine territory except Manila which was surrendered to the Americans on August 13, after simultaneous attacks by American and Filipino forces. Soon afterwards the first republic in the Far East based on a constitutional and representative government was established by the Filipinos. It had received the commendation of several foreigners among whom were the late Senator Hoar and John Barrett, ex-Director of the Pan-American Union. [Filipino-American War] The downfall of the republic came as a result of the Filipino-American war which broke out through a misunderstanding between America and the Philippines and which lasted for three years. With the superior forces of the United States it was naturally a one-sided struggle, but it nevertheless showed once more the determination of the Filipino people to have an independent national existence. They wanted no less than an untrammeled republic free from any foreign control. They asked that of the United States. But no definite assurance was given that they would ultimately be freed. Had such assurances been given them the Filipino-American war would have been avoided. [The Establishment of civil government]