The option that best evaluates how Europe is connected to the Americas by culture is:
Europe, and the Americas share similar religions and languages because of empire building.
This is because European colonization significantly influenced the cultural landscape of the Americas, leading to the spread of European languages (such as Spanish, English, and Portuguese) and religions (primarily Christianity) throughout the continent. Empire building involved not just the establishment of political control but also the cultural imposition, which shaped the identities of the societies in the Americas.