The Olmecs were one of the first ancient cultures that lived in Mesoamerica during the 1300 - 400 B.C. The Olmecs are known as the "Mother Culture" of the Middle American Civilizations. They were named the Mother Culture because there ways of life such as writing, reading, and religion was passed down to the other cultures of Mesoamerica like the Mayans and the Aztecs. The Olmec people called themselves Xi (pronounced "Shi"). The name Olmec meant people of the lands of rubber because of the rubber trees in the area. The Olmecs lived between the Mayans and the Aztecs homelands. The Olmecs territory extended from the Tuxtlas Mountains in the west to the lands of Chontalpa in the east. The Olmecs main cities were called La Venta, Tabasco, San Lorenzo, Veracruz, and Laguna de los Cerros. La Venta was a very rich city that was near the coast of...