Game Changers: 10 Historic Political Protests Worldwide

These movements changed the course of history.

Power in Numbers - Throughout history, momentous protest movements have sparked revolutions, toppled governments and bestowed freedom. And while many miles and decades separated the 1963 March on Washington from the 1930 Salt March in India, the ongoing Arab Spring and other legendary demonstrations, each history-making moment has proved the power of the masses. Keep reading to learn more about these transformative protests.—Patrice Peck(Photo: ANIS MILI/LANDOV)

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Power in Numbers - Throughout history, momentous protest movements have sparked revolutions, toppled governments and bestowed freedom. And while many miles and decades separated the 1963 March on Washington from the 1930 Salt March in India, the ongoing Arab Spring and other legendary demonstrations, each history-making moment has proved the power of the masses. Keep reading to learn more about these transformative protests.—Patrice Peck(Photo: ANIS MILI/LANDOV)

Gandhi's Salt March (India) - Marching against the British empire’s monopoly of salt, Mahatma Gandhi inspired millions of his countrymen to band together in 1930 for one of the country’s first organized mass movement. While the 240-mile march did not yield any tax concessions, the campaign bore many significant long-term effects, such as provoking further waves of civil disobedience and influencing the strategies of Martin Luther King Jr.(Photo: Central Press/Getty Images)

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Gandhi's Salt March (India) - Marching against the British empire’s monopoly of salt, Mahatma Gandhi inspired millions of his countrymen to band together in 1930 for one of the country’s first organized mass movement. While the 240-mile march did not yield any tax concessions, the campaign bore many significant long-term effects, such as provoking further waves of civil disobedience and influencing the strategies of Martin Luther King Jr.(Photo: Central Press/Getty Images)

South Africa's National Day of Protest (South Africa) - In 1950, the South African political party, African National Congress (ANC) organized this nationwide workers strike, also known as the Stay-At-Home demonstration, to protest the country’s apartheid regime. Hundreds of thousands of South Africans participated on June 26 in defiance of a new bill effectively giving the government free range when investigating political parties, spawning a tactic that was used throughout the decade.(Photo: Three Lions/Getty Images)

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South Africa's National Day of Protest (South Africa) - In 1950, the South African political party, African National Congress (ANC) organized this nationwide workers strike, also known as the Stay-At-Home demonstration, to protest the country’s apartheid regime. Hundreds of thousands of South Africans participated on June 26 in defiance of a new bill effectively giving the government free range when investigating political parties, spawning a tactic that was used throughout the decade.(Photo: Three Lions/Getty Images)

1956 March of Women (South Africa) - On Aug. 9, 1956, more than 50,000 women marched in Pretoria, South Africa, to dispute proposed amendments to the Urban Areas Act of 1950 which limited Black South Africans’ right of movement. After leaving several petitions comprised of over 100,000 signatures at the prime minister’s office door, the women waited silently for 30 minutes before singing protest songs. These efforts held off the law’s passing until the early 1960s.(Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

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1956 March of Women (South Africa) - On Aug. 9, 1956, more than 50,000 women marched in Pretoria, South Africa, to dispute proposed amendments to the Urban Areas Act of 1950 which limited Black South Africans’ right of movement. After leaving several petitions comprised of over 100,000 signatures at the prime minister’s office door, the women waited silently for 30 minutes before singing protest songs. These efforts held off the law’s passing until the early 1960s.(Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Soweto Uprising (South Africa) - A series of student-led protests that began on the morning of June 16, 1976, the Soweto Uprising opposed the government’s directive to make Afrikaans and English the medium of instruction in Sowetan schools.(Photo: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

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Soweto Uprising (South Africa) - A series of student-led protests that began on the morning of June 16, 1976, the Soweto Uprising opposed the government’s directive to make Afrikaans and English the medium of instruction in Sowetan schools.(Photo: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

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Tiananmen Square Protests (China) - In the spring of 1989, students and residents of Beijing led seven-week-long demonstrations while peacefully occupying the city’s Tiananmen Square to attain democratic reform. Several opposing government officials instructed the military to crack down on June 3, launching a two-day massacre that received international condemnation. Officials concealed the event’s happenings, but death toll estimates span several hundred to the thousands.(Photo: REUTERS/Arthur Tsang/Landov)

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Tiananmen Square Protests (China) - In the spring of 1989, students and residents of Beijing led seven-week-long demonstrations while peacefully occupying the city’s Tiananmen Square to attain democratic reform. Several opposing government officials instructed the military to crack down on June 3, launching a two-day massacre that received international condemnation. Officials concealed the event’s happenings, but death toll estimates span several hundred to the thousands.(Photo: REUTERS/Arthur Tsang/Landov)

Berlin Wall Protests (Germany) - At the pinnacle of the Berlin Wall protest movements of 1989, about 500,000 demonstrators met in East Berlin’s large public square to rally for the fall of the 28-year-old concrete division. That event, along with growing pressure generated by the Peaceful Revolution, led the East German government to open the gate separating East and West Berlin on Nov. 9, 1989. The wall was physically destroyed in 1990.(Photo: dpa/Landov)

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Berlin Wall Protests (Germany) - At the pinnacle of the Berlin Wall protest movements of 1989, about 500,000 demonstrators met in East Berlin’s large public square to rally for the fall of the 28-year-old concrete division. That event, along with growing pressure generated by the Peaceful Revolution, led the East German government to open the gate separating East and West Berlin on Nov. 9, 1989. The wall was physically destroyed in 1990.(Photo: dpa/Landov)

Iraq War Protests (Worldwide) - A chain of large-scale protests starting in 2002 and trickling out in 2012, the Iraq War protests took place in a number of cities across the world, sometimes occurring simultaneously. Tens of millions of people participated in thousands of demonstrations, including a rally of 3 million people in Rome and 1 million in U.K., marking the country’s largest political protest in its history.(Photo: Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images)

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Iraq War Protests (Worldwide) - A chain of large-scale protests starting in 2002 and trickling out in 2012, the Iraq War protests took place in a number of cities across the world, sometimes occurring simultaneously. Tens of millions of people participated in thousands of demonstrations, including a rally of 3 million people in Rome and 1 million in U.K., marking the country’s largest political protest in its history.(Photo: Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images)

The Orange Revolution (Ukraine) - Results of the 2004 Ukrainian presidential elections sparked an immediate sequence of political events and protests to challenge the outcome, which many considered to be flawed by voter intimidation, vote-rigging and widespread corruption. Named after the opposing party’s colors, the Orange Revolution lasted 12 days and achieved a re-vote, which put the rival candidate Viktor Yushchenko in office.(Photo: JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images)

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The Orange Revolution (Ukraine) - Results of the 2004 Ukrainian presidential elections sparked an immediate sequence of political events and protests to challenge the outcome, which many considered to be flawed by voter intimidation, vote-rigging and widespread corruption. Named after the opposing party’s colors, the Orange Revolution lasted 12 days and achieved a re-vote, which put the rival candidate Viktor Yushchenko in office.(Photo: JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images)

The Storming of the Bastille (France) - On July 14, 1789, an angry mob rebelled against the absolute monarchy by capturing the Bastille, a famous prison that symbolized royal authority, during the French Revolution. Although only a handful of prisoners were inside at the time, this momentous event kicked off a decade long revolt.(Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

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The Storming of the Bastille (France) - On July 14, 1789, an angry mob rebelled against the absolute monarchy by capturing the Bastille, a famous prison that symbolized royal authority, during the French Revolution. Although only a handful of prisoners were inside at the time, this momentous event kicked off a decade long revolt.(Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

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Arab Spring (Middle East & North Africa) - The global community watched as a wave of protests, demonstrations, riots and civil wars struck the Arab world and North Africa. Beginning on Dec. 18, 2010, the Arab Spring brought about the ousting of rulers in Yemen, Libya, Egypt and Tunisia. Given the chaotic nature of these events, the death tolls have been difficult to calculate. In Egypt, where protests continue, at least 800 people were killed in the past week.(Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany)

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Arab Spring (Middle East & North Africa) - The global community watched as a wave of protests, demonstrations, riots and civil wars struck the Arab world and North Africa. Beginning on Dec. 18, 2010, the Arab Spring brought about the ousting of rulers in Yemen, Libya, Egypt and Tunisia. Given the chaotic nature of these events, the death tolls have been difficult to calculate. In Egypt, where protests continue, at least 800 people were killed in the past week.(Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany)

The Peace Moratorium (U.S.) - Protesting the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War, an estimated two million people marched outside of the White House in 1969. Believed to be the largest demonstration in U.S. history, Americans of all ages and backgrounds participated in school seminars, religious services, street rallies and more across the country.(Photo: David Fenton/Getty Images)

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The Peace Moratorium (U.S.) - Protesting the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War, an estimated two million people marched outside of the White House in 1969. Believed to be the largest demonstration in U.S. history, Americans of all ages and backgrounds participated in school seminars, religious services, street rallies and more across the country.(Photo: David Fenton/Getty Images)

French Trucker Roadblocks (France) - When French truckers protest, they use their largest defense: their massive trucks. Over the past decade, these vehicular workers have launched several protests against national issues, such as pension reform and fuel price hikes, by blockading the roads and disrupting international freight, travel and business.(Photo: LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images)

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French Trucker Roadblocks (France) - When French truckers protest, they use their largest defense: their massive trucks. Over the past decade, these vehicular workers have launched several protests against national issues, such as pension reform and fuel price hikes, by blockading the roads and disrupting international freight, travel and business.(Photo: LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images)

The Occupy Movement (Worldwide) - Although the main issues raised by Occupy Wall Street spanned a wide range, the protest movement stemmed largely from public frustration around social and economic inequality (as referred to by the campaign slogan: We are the 99 percent), corruption and the influence corporations wielded in government matters. The Occupy Movement began in New York City on Sept. 17, 2011, and spread worldwide.(Photo: REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

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The Occupy Movement (Worldwide) - Although the main issues raised by Occupy Wall Street spanned a wide range, the protest movement stemmed largely from public frustration around social and economic inequality (as referred to by the campaign slogan: We are the 99 percent), corruption and the influence corporations wielded in government matters. The Occupy Movement began in New York City on Sept. 17, 2011, and spread worldwide.(Photo: REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)