It is known as the cradle of civilization because it was the crossroads of early civilizations and witnessed significant developments in technology, architecture, religion, and writing. Mesopotamia, which means 'between rivers,' refers to the area between the Tigress and Euphrates Rivers, primarily modern-day Iraq. The first significant civilizations developed where agriculture began, including ancient Egypt along the Nile, the Indus Valley along the Indus River, China along the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, and Mesopotamia along the Tigress and Euphrates Rivers. Here's a summarization of this: Around 10,000 to 15,000 years ago, agriculture emerged primarily in river valleys due to the fertile soil and access to fresh water.