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  1. Columbus called these islands the Indiesbecause he thought he had finally reached Asia (and the East Indies). Spain, when Columbus' mistake was discovered, (pardon the pun) renamed them the West Indies, to distinguish them from the Spice Islands in the Pacific Ocean, (the East Indies) which we now call Indonesia.
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Q: Why are the Caribbean islands called the west lndies?
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Related questions

The islands Columbus visited in the Caribbean are called the .?

The islands Columbus visited in the Caribbean are called the west indies.


What are the Islands of the Caribbean Sea referred as?

the Caribbean or the west indies


The largest islands of the Caribbean sea are sometimes referred to as the West?

The largest islands of the Caribbean Sea are sometimes referred to as the "West Indies".


What are the many islands that stretch from Florida to Venezuela?

West Indies are the islands in the Caribbean.


What does the term middle passages refer to?

The trip between West Africa and the islands of the Caribbean


What is the difference between the Caribbean islands and the West Indies?

The Caribbean includes that ocean as well as the islands within it; the term West Indies refers only to the islands.


The largest islands of the Caribbean sea are sometimes referred to as the west what?

The largest Islands of the Caribbean sea are sometimes referred to as the West Indies.~hope this helps!~


Why do you think the Caribbean islands are often referred as to the West Indies?

The island in the Caribbean region are often referd to as the West Indies because 'West Indies' is the collective name of these islands.


What is another name for the Caribbean islands?

the west indiesAnswerThe West indies is the name given to the islands, not the sea. The Sea of the Antilles was a former name for the Caribbean Sea.


West indies are located in what sea?

The West Indies, a part of the Caribbean Islands, are located in the Caribbean Sea on the Atlantic Ocean. The Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles are also part of the Caribbean Islands.


Where can you Find the Poem Of all the beauty spots on earth the fairest and the best are the jewels of the Caribbean the Islands of the West?

This poem is called "Caribbean" by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. It can be found in various anthologies and collections of her works. It celebrates the beauty of the Caribbean islands.


What is a another name for the Caribbean Islands?

The West Indies