change the world

To bring about systemic, fundamental, or far-reaching changes, as to society or culture. The Black blues musicians of the early 20th century completely changed the world—there'd be no rock 'n' roll music without the blues. Ellen has always been out to change the world, so I'm not surprised she's become an environmental lobbyist in Washington. Though it was a hard-fought, years-long battle, the pioneers of the US Civil Rights Movement did end up changing the world.