Comparison in Land-Based Empires Practice Test

In the 1500s and 1600s, the Safavid Empire in Persia and the Spanish Empire in the Americas both built authority over diverse populations and frontier zones. Safavid shahs promoted Twelver Shi’ism to unify the state and distinguish it from Sunni rivals, while Spanish rulers used Catholic institutions and colonial bureaucracies to govern Indigenous and settler societies. Which comparison best explains a similar way both empires used religion to strengthen imperial rule?

From 1200 to 1600, the Mongol Empire and the Inca Empire each created large land-based states, but in very different environments. Mongol khans ruled across Eurasian steppe and settled societies, promoted trade security along caravan routes, and used relay stations for communication. Inca rulers governed the Andes, built extensive road systems and storehouses, and managed labor through the mita. Which option best compares how each empire integrated conquered peoples into imperial administration?