North American Plateau Indian people living mostly in Oregon, U.S. Their language is of Penutian language stock, and their traditional homeland is south of the Cascade Range in northern California.
Their economy was based on hunting and gathering, and they lived much like their closely related neighbours the Klamath . In 1864 the U.S. government forced the Modoc to live on Klamath lands, giving rise to the Modoc War of 187273. About 80 families retreated to the California Lava Beds but eventually surrendered and were removed to Oklahoma. Survivors were permitted to return to Oregon in 1909. Together with the Klamath and the Yahooskin band of Snake Indians, they form an entity known as the Klamath Tribes. About 500 people claimed sole Modoc descent in the 2000 U.S. census.