Ann McBride, age 15, of Lake Charles, La., for her question:

WHO WERE THE CANAANITES?

The Canaanites were mentiond in the old Testament. The Canaanites settled in Canaan, the Biblical name for Palestine, about 3000 B.C. They were the chief inhabitants of this land until the Israelites conquered them about 1200 B.C.

The Canaanites were a Semitic people, related to the Arabs, Assyrians and Israelites.

Ancient remains show that the Canaanites had an advanced civilization. They built walls around their cities for protection against invading tribes. But the Israelites finally conquered them.

The Israelites adopted many Canaanite laws and customs. Hebrew language and literature shows much Canaanite influence.

Some Canaanites settled northwest of Palestine before the Israelite invasion. They became known as Phoenicians.