The Olmec culture appeared around 1200 B.C. near the Gulf of Mexico. The Olmec culture was one of the first Mesoamerican civilization. They had rich soil that helped them grow a lot of crops. They had pyramids, temples, and courts to play games.

They built their civilizations along the floodplains of rivers. These rivers would flood and when they receded, they left behind silt (rich soil for planting crops).

The Olmec carved large stone heads out of huge rocks. They were created to honor the Olmec Kings, or rulers. These large sculptures could be as tall as 10 feet and weigh up to 20 tons.

The Olmec believed in many gods, or polytheism. The Olmec people believed in the Jaguar God. When priests visited the Olmec spirit world, they would be transformed into jaguars.

The Olmec people were grouped into different classes. There were farmers, workers, rulers, priests, merchants, and artists. Farmers and workers were at the bottom of the class system. Around 400 B.C., the Olmec civilization disappeared. New civilizations that emerged after the Olmec collapse copied art, architecture, and other Olmec ways of living. Archaeologists still don't know why the Omecs suddenly disappeared. The Olmec are considered to be the Mother Culture of Mesoamerica.