The Arab Spring was a series of revolts and anti-government protests that which started in the Middle East. The first protests started in Tunisia against long-standing president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on January 14, 2011.
This "Tunisian Revolution" spread to neighbor countries, who were going through similar political realities such as long-standing regimes and an overall low standard of living. The countries who followed suit were Lybia, Egypt, Yemen, Siria, and Bahrain.
