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