The Islamic religion spread rapidly through trade, military conquest, political structure, and the overall appeal of the religion. Many of the early Islamic ideas originated from the prophet Muhammad in Saudi Arabia around the 600s. His teachings began in Mecca, a city between the crossroads of numerous trade centers (Scott). Mecca’s location became ideal for the expansion of Islam, as it could be spread by people along the trade routes. In the “Map of Byzantine and Persian Empires and Trade Routes in 570 C.E.” (Document A), it demonstrates how Mecca was in the center of several trade routes. With the city’s centralized location, travelers and merchants could go to Mecca and come back with profound ideas of Islamic teachings. Additionally,