The term "Canaanite" refers to the ancient people who inhabited the region of Canaan, which is located in the eastern Mediterranean, roughly corresponding to modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and parts of Syria and Jordan. The Canaanites were known for their city-states, trade networks, and agricultural practices, as well as their polytheistic religion, which included a pantheon of gods and goddesses. Canaanite culture significantly influenced neighboring civilizations, including the Hebrews and Phoenicians. They developed a writing system that contributed to the alphabetic scripts used later by the Greeks and Romans. The Canaanites played a crucial role in the historical and cultural development of the ancient Near East.