why are native americans still called "Indians" in America?

Question

just curious...Columbus thought he came to India therefore he called the Native Americans "Indian"...But he was wrong...Everyone knows he was wrong..So why do people still call Native Americans "Indian"...The only Indians are those from India...It really makes no sense to me. Columbus made a mistake, so why should everyone else follow his footsteps?

Answer 1

It is a long-time and acceptable habit to call them American Indians. There is nothing wrong with that label.

But many Indians prefer themselves called as First Nations. Some, however, cringe at the political-correctness of "Native-American."

All those born in America are native Americans--which includes me, but I am of European descent.

Answer 2

Aboriginal Americans have been called Indians for over 500 years. Why would we change?

For your information, anyone born in the US is a native American. Political correctness is usually not factually accurate.

Answer 3

Native American and American Indian are two labels created by the United States government. I prefer Oglala Lakota Sioux.

Answer 4

you get mad approximately us being racist or notwithstanding yet examine what you basically reported from a "whites" point of view in my opinion i think of natives are given alot of reward and us "whites" have taken over that's quite unhappy cuase we destroyed the region yet you "indians" are letting it happen now and are literally assisting to interrupt the land.. and that they dont say close by individuals becuase in recent times everythings shortened, so we in simple terms say natives i like natives and virtually all my family are natives, i like all of them to death not all individuals "whites" are terrible human beings you comprehend.. additionally particular returned interior the day alot of people have been racist to different colours cuacasion everybody isn't the only ones which may be racist.. yet im particular our ancestor did take alot of alternative cultures background advert so did the different cultures yet that grew to become into interior the previous none individuals in recent times incredibly knows what's and isnt actual becuase we weren't there and it isnt our fualt human beings interior the previous that in simple terms handed off to be the comparable shade as us did such issues.

Answer 5

Old habits die hard.
Have you ever asked what do the people in question call themselves? You might be surprised. The powers that be called us Native Americans. We had names before they took it upon themselves to GIVE us THEIR name.

Answer 6

actually, the name "India" for India came afterward; back then it was "Hindistan" or something similar.

North American "Indian" comes form the Spanidsh "Indios," or "those who walk with god," a compliment before exploitation and slaughter began.

Since most Indians I know of use the term Indian, so do I.

Answer 7

I just say "Native." In my nation, we call ourselves Aniyvwiya (real people.)


Columbus was a freaking moron. You have it right.