After providing a geographical description of their locations, discuss why the Silk Roads became important for more than just the exchange of economic commodities in the classical and post-classical eras. How did these trade routes represent the complexity of cross-cultural exchange in the world prior to 1500?

Compare and assess the rise and cross-cultural expansion of Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. What factors contributed to the success in these religions beyond their homelands? How did they change as a result of their expansion, and how did they influence the societies that they expanded into?