1479-Treaty of Alcacovas: 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 1984-Twelve-month-long strike in the British coal industry begins