241 BC First Punic War: Battle of the Aegates Islands – The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing the First Punic War to an end

1783 USS Alliance under Captain Barry fights and wins last naval battle of US Revolutionary War off Cape Canaveral

1861 West African political leader El Hadj Umar Tall seizes the city of Segou, destroying the Bambara Empire of Mali

1920 Home Rule Act passed by the British Parliament, dividing Ireland into two parts; it is rejected by the southern counties, where the Ango-Irish war continues for a year

1952 Military coup led by General Fulgencio Batista in Cuba

2000 The NASDAQ Composite stock market index peaks at 5132.52, signalling the beginning of the end of the dot-com boom

Source: Onthisday.com