The term cradle of civilization has frequently been applied to a variety of cultures and areas, in particular the Ancient Near Eastern Chalcolithic (Ubaid period) and Fertile Crescent. It has also been applied to ancient Anatolia, the Levant, Armenia and Iran.
The Washington Meridian runs north on a longitude of 91Â°09â²36â³W from the base line, which is the MississippiâLouisiana border at latitude 31Â° north. The Washington Meridian is the basis of cadastral surveys in southwestern Mississippi, south of the Choctaw Meridian base line and west of the territory of the Saint Stephens Meridian. The Washington Meridian shares the same initial point as the Saint Helena Meridian, which runs south from that initial point.
This article is about the principal meridian in the U.S. state of Mississippi. For the four meridians in Washington, D.C., see Washington meridian. The Washington Meridian is one of the 38 principal meridians governing cadastral surveys in the United States. The meridian line was surveyed and established in 1803 by surveyor Isaac Briggs. Briggs named the meridian the Washington Meridian, likely because the meridian passed near his offices in the community of Washington, Mississippi.