Answer:
The best answer to the question: Which of the following were at any point three successful trade routes to the Orient from Europe, would be:
A: Overland to China from the Middle East: This route was one of the most famous during most of the Ancient world, especially after Marco Polo discovered both the Islamic and Chinese civilizations and established contact with them. It was then that the Silk Route was established and it was later on blocked when the Muslims, especially the Ottomans, blocked this route and pushed European nations to seek alternate routes of trade.
B: Around the southern tip of Africa by ship: This route was sought once the newly formed European states: England, Spain, Portugal and France, were born as nation-states. Because of the blockade by the Ottomans to the Silk Route, first Portugal, and later Spain, encouraged voyages by boat to discover an alternate route around the tip of Africa. This was achieved by Vasco de Gama, finally an thus re-established contact with India.
D: Across the Mediterranean by boat, by land to the Persian Gulf and by boat to China. This was the route that was used mostly by merchants from Venice, Florence and Genoa, and thus established them as some of the most powerful and rich people in Europe, as they were the ones who had the chance to bring spices and silk, and other riches from the far East, to Europe.
