A view of modern-day Jerusalem. This historic location is sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

You focused on less notorious ancient civilizations in this topic. Specifically, you saw that the Mediterranean Sea and the Middle East were conduits for trade and the exchange of ideas, making them "cradles of civilization." In addition, human contributions during this time period included writing, travel, trade, and culture; all of which still prove vital today, and are known because of the writing systems that developed during ancient times. This is also how historians have determined what people believed during the ancient civilizations. For example, because the Hebrews wrote, we know they stood out as monotheistic in a polytheistic world. Furthermore, you discovered how contact with other groups enriched the lives of groups like the Phoenicians and Lydians.