Final answer:
The correct answer is B, as Darius I of the Persian Empire connected different regions using roads and postal service, most notably the Royal Road, without forcing captured peoples to change their religious beliefs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Under King Darius I, the Persian Empire did not force captured peoples to give up their religious beliefs. Instead, Darius I focused on an administrative system that respected the diversity of the vast empire he ruled. Notably, he reorganized the empire into twenty provinces called satrapies, improved the infrastructure including roads and postal service, and standardized weights, measures, and coinage. The Royal Road served as a critical communication artery, signalling Darius's commitment to connecting different regions of the empire.
Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is: B. Connected different regions using roads and postal service. Darius understood the importance of maintaining a multiethnic, multilingual, and multireligious empire, valuing the loyalty and tribute of the various peoples within it. Governors, known as satraps, were given autonomy, but a system of checks and balances was in place as they were observed by military generals and royal inspectors to ensure the king's edicts were enforced without abusing conquered peoples.
The religious tolerance under the Persian Empire, especially during the reign of Darius I, is remarkable with examples like that of King Cyrus allowing exiled Jews to return to Judah. This policy of leniency set the Persian policy apart from that of previous empires like the Assyrians and Neo-Babylonians and facilitated the empire's stability and successful governance over diverse territories.