The Caddo is one of a confederacy of tribes of North American Indians that composed the Caddoan linguistic family. The Caddo proper originally occupied the lower Red River area in what are now Louisiana, southwest Arkansas, and northeast Texas. These were farmers who also hunted buffalo. In the late 17th century they numbered 8,000 persons living in villages scattered along the Red River and its tributaries. This is also the region of the Caddoan archaeological complex, where many striking examples of Indian workmanship have been found.
Archaeological research shows the Caddoan tenancy to be ancient.
In 1541, the Caddo opposed explorer DeSoto, who recognized their bravery, and in 1687, they encountered the survivors of LaSalle's epedition. Lemoyne d'Iberville rallied them to the side of the French at the beginning of the 1700s. The Caddo first opposed the Choctaw, then allied themselves with the Choctaw against the Osage at the end of the 18th century. When Louisiana was purchased by the U.S., white immigration increased, and the tribe was pushed farther south. Under the treaty of 1835 the Caddo ceded all their land to the U.S. and settled in Texas.