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

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

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

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

1899: Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is patented by Felix Hoffmann at the German company Bayer

Source: Onthisday.com