September 20, 1870: <a href="/ce6/people/A0850810.html">Victor Emmanuel II</a>, the first king of modern Italy, seized the <a href="/ce6/history/A0837526.html">Papal States</a> from the French.

September 20, 1881: <a href="/node/155727">Chester A. Arthur</a> was sworn in as the 21st president of the <a href="/node/70616">United States</a>, succeeding <a href="/node/155726">James A. Garfield</a>, who had been assassinated.

September 20, 1973: <a href="/ce6/people/A0827674.html">Billie Jean King</a> beat <a href="/ce6/people/A0841901.html">Bobby Riggs</a> in a battle of the sexes tennis match.

September 20, 1998: Baltimore Oriole shortstop <a href="/node/63831">Cal Ripken, Jr.,</a> sat out a game, ending his consecutive game playing streak. Ripken played 2,632 consecutive games over 16 seasons.

September 20, 2000: Independent Counsel Robert Ray announced the end of the <a href="/ce6/history/A0852144.html">Whitewater investigation</a>, saying there was insufficient evidence to charge <a href="/node/155747">President Clinton</a> and his wife, <a href="/ce6/people/A0812585.html">Hillary</a>.

September 20, 2001: President <a href="/node/155753">George W. Bush</a> addressed the nation and a joint session of Congress about terrorism. He also named <a href="/ce6/people/A0921675.html">Tom Ridge</a> as head of the new Office of <a href="/ce6/history/A0909720.html">Homeland Security</a>.

More events from This Day in History: September 20