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.
In 1884, the International Meridian Conference in Washington DC determined location of the Prime Meridian, or the line of longitude that is 0 degrees. Upon a vote, countries decided it would be the line of longitude that runs through Greenwich, England.