Classification of the group actions on the real line and circle

The group actions on the real line and circle are classified. It is proved that each minimal continuous action of a group on the circle is either a conjugate of an isometric action, or a finite cover of a proximal action. It is also shown that each minimal continuous action of a group on the real line either is conjugate to an isometric action, or is a proximal action, or is a cover of a proximal action on the circle. As a corollary, it is proved that a continuous action of a group on the circle either has a finite orbit, or is semiconjugate to a minimal action on the circle that is either isometric or proximal. As a consequence, a new proof of the Ghys-Margulis alternative is obtained.