Clearly, this rosily checkered past was soon to be replaced, chiefly, it seems, as Judeo-Christian-Islamic-Confucian-Buddhist cultures flourished.
( Clearly ( , ( ( ( ( ( ( ( this ( ( rosily checkered ) past ) ) ( ( was soon ) ( to ( be replaced ) ) ) ) , ) ( chiefly ( , ( it seems ) ) ) ) , ) ( as ( ( Judeo-Christian-Islamic-Confucian-Buddhist cultures ) flourished ) ) ) . ) ) )
(ROOT (S (ADVP (RB Clearly)) (, ,) (S (NP (DT this) (ADJP (RB rosily) (JJ checkered)) (NN past)) (VP (VBD was) (ADVP (RB soon)) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB be) (VP (VBN replaced))))))) (, ,) (S (ADVP (RB chiefly)) (, ,) (NP (PRP it)) (VP (VBZ seems))) (, ,) (PP (IN as) (NP (NP (JJ Judeo-Christian-Islamic-Confucian-Buddhist) (NNS cultures)) (VP (VBN flourished)))) (. .)))
The sketchy past was replaced by many cultures flourishing. 
( ( The ( sketchy past ) ) ( ( was ( replaced ( by ( ( many cultures ) flourishing ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (DT The) (JJ sketchy) (NN past)) (VP (VBD was) (VP (VBN replaced) (PP (IN by) (NP (NP (JJ many) (NNS cultures)) (VP (VBG flourishing)))))) (. .)))