1479 Treaty of Alcaçovas: Portugal gives the Canary Islands to Castile in exchange for claims in West Africa

1836 Battle of the Alamo: After 13 days of fighting 1,500-3,000 Mexican soldiers overwhelm the Texan defenders, killing 182-257 Texans including William Travis, Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett

1857 Dred Scott Decision: US Supreme Court rules Africans cannot be US citizens

1869 Dmitri Mendeleev presents the first periodic table of the elements to the Russian Chemical Society

1899 “Aspirin” (acetylsalicylic acid) patented by Felix Hoffmann at German company Bayer

Source: Onthisday.com