2007-12-11 01:01:19 · 31 answers · asked by nini_28602 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
trying to establish a difference between the culture and that of people from India
2007-12-11 01:04:44 · answer #1 · answered by squay692000 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because this is in reality for a majority of people from America way back before a lot of us were here it was their land, it is America, and they are original natives basically and an Indian American is someone who was either born in the country of India and came to America or is just Indian by race and American by nationality. They were called this because of a really bad mistake and it unfortunately stuck.
2007-12-11 01:35:55 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because Native Americans aren't from India. Indian Americans are from India.
2007-12-11 01:28:09 · answer #3 · answered by badkitty1969 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When certain explorers from Europe first came to the Americas, they thought that they had reached India by sailing the other way around the world (ex- Columbus, etc.) Hence, when they saw the natives, they believed that they were "Indians."
It wasn't until later that they realized their mistake, so in order to avoid confusion, it is more accurate to call the natives "native americans."
2007-12-11 01:06:00 · answer #4 · answered by John D 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
They were originally called Indians by the first explorers because the thought they had landed in the West Indies. The name just stuck until recently when we started to acknowledge that they were actually the first Americans thus the term Native Americans.Unfortunately they have never been given much respect .... we should learn more about their culture and treat them with dignity.
2007-12-11 01:07:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Calling them Indians was an error. Since Columbus thought that they had landed in India (known at that time as the West Indies), they thought that the indiginous people there were Indians (..from the country of India)
Some say that to call them Indians is racist but I would say that since there is no intent, and that "American Indians" are part of the American lexicon (i.e. common speech) then the term should remain.
2007-12-11 01:06:08 · answer #6 · answered by TheGarlicButterSaw 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because they're not Indians. They're Americans, and native to America - therefore, they're Native Americans.
2007-12-11 02:37:44 · answer #7 · answered by [Rei] 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
blehh political correctness, it's a bunch of crap. I am not a Caucasian American, to be correct I would be a European American, I am not from the Russian Caucasus. The guy who came up with the politcal correctness jazz was a racist. In all fairness native peoples from both Canada and South America are ACTUALLY native americans as well, this is the Americas. Heh see yet another flaw in that mumbo jumbo. Anyway native Canadians are called First Nations. Down with Political Correctness! heh
2007-12-11 01:52:28 · answer #8 · answered by smiley_girl3342 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Its all colombus fault!
Native americans are a group of indigenous people that are native to north america.
Just like
Amazon natives
Carribean Natives
Central Natives
Incas
Mayas
2007-12-11 02:39:38 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I called PC (Political Correctness) to use words and terms so we won't offend people. I wonder what the Native Americans want to be called. Did anyone ask them? In my family the n-word was referred to as an ignorant person. This could be any race white, black, brown, red and yellow.
2007-12-11 01:22:48 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
because they are there from begning. That means they are the first people of America and it clearly makes sense that Native American mean people who live in America from begning. so people call Native American instead of indian American.
2007-12-11 02:57:09 · answer #11 · answered by pakum 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋