the answer is: Universalizing religions can be traced to the actions and teachings of a historical founder who was born and lived after the beginning of recorded history.
Religions have existed among humans since 300,000 BC (historians found strong evidence that early hunter-gatherer might worship the spirits of animals to protect their group)
But, the specifics characteristics about these religions cannot be fully traced and studied because we only have access to recorded history starting from 3,000 BC.