Question

Why did the olmec layout their cities in alignment with the paths of stars?

Answer 1

The Olmecs used the stars as a natural navigation system, they were orienting in space according to their alignment. So when they were building their cities, they were aligning them according to the positions/paths of the stars, so it was very easy for them to now the traces between the cities, as well as their positions, from wherever you were in the empire.