Why are Native Americans called Indians when people from India are Indians too?

Answer 1

Because when Columbus landed here, he though he was in India, and so called the natives Indians.

Answer 2

When Columbus stumbled upon North America, he thought he was in India, and called the native inhabitants 'Indians'. I don't know why the name stuck once it was discovered he wasn't in India, but that's why it started. Most people I know refer to them as Native Americans now, not Indian or American Indian.

Answer 3

Easy Answer? Blame Columbus. When he reached Costa Rica, he thought he was in India, and referred to the people as 'Indians', even though they weren't. The name stuck, and a region of the Carribbean is now known as the 'West Indies'.

Some Native Americans, a couple I know, find the term 'Indian' offensive because it is the height of paternalism and preconceived notions. Some others I know don't find it offensive at all.

Answer 4

To call them Native "Americans" is also wrong. They are Natives or Original People since they were here first. "Indian" is what stupid Columbus called them when he bumped onto the shore lost because he thought he'd reached India and the name just took. It was one of the first indications that this land would soon be overtaken and the native people abused and bullied and their culture and freedom destroyed for the most part.

Answer 5

First of all, American Indians are NOT the only "Native Americans".

To begin with, their ancestors migrated to the American continent, just as all other peoples have.

Secondly, the misused term, "Native American", is a Marxist tactic intended to specifically insult and denigrate white Americans, even though they were born and raised in the United States.

Now, as to the origin of the appellation, "Indian", when applied to American Indians, that is due to Christopher Columbus' erroneous belief that he had arrived in the East Indies, or in Asia.

But, of course, you already knew that, because every kid in America is taught that in elementary school.

So, why ask the question, unless you're trying to stir up racial animosity?

Answer 6

The word Indian actually means "children of heaven". A native American who prefers being referred to as an Indian once told me I don't mind being called an Indian it doesn't make me look stupid, it makes white people look stupid. We both laughed.

Answer 7

community American being observed as Indian does confuses me. A citizen of India is observed as Indian. Hinduism is a faith and its followers are well-called Hindu. Hindu varieties maximum folk of the country. different than for Hinduism, we've Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Judaism. so some distance as Columbus is in contact his information led him to have faith that Asia lay in basic terms 78º west of Spain. for specific, India became precisely no longer what he found interior the final decade of the thirteenth Century, yet somewhat what we right this moment call the “West Indies”, via fact the call caught; the aboriginal American inhabitants grew to grow to be well-called “Indians” for this reason. He became no longer exploring China and for this reason community individuals weren't observed as chinese language.

Answer 8

When Christofer Columbus landed here at first he thought he was in India so that's why they were called Indians.

Answer 9

An act of ignorance when Columbus came over to the new world that carried on forever.

Answer 10

honestly most of us don't like either label I am not Indian or native anything I am Algonquin