Arkansas Indians
Arkansas, or Quapaw, Indians , a North American tribe of the Siouan language family. The Arkansas River and the state of Arkansas were named for them. The tribe numbered about 2,500 when first encountered living along the Ohio River by French explorers in the 17th century. Later they moved down the Mississippi to the valley of what is now called the Arkansas River. They referred to themselves as Quapaw, meaning "downstream people," but came to be known as the Arkansas, a name probably derived from that of one of their tribal subdivisions.
After ceding lands to the federal government by treaties in 1818 and 1824, the Arkansas went to the Red River region in Louisiana, but returned because of floods. In 1833 they were given lands in northeastern Indian Territory (Oklahoma).