Why are the Caribbean islands called the West Indies?

Answer 1

Columbus explored the ares for several months, convinced he had found the East Indies, the islands off the coast of Asia.When finding it was not the east indies he named it the west indies.

Answer 2

When Columbus landed, he believed that the natives were Indians (because of their skin color). When it was discovered that it was not the real India, it was referred to as the west indies because one would travel west from England to get there and east to get to "east" India. It stuck because it was a long time before anyone realized it was a new continent.

Answer 3

Columbus referred to the Caribbean islands as the West Indies because they were not the East Indies that he was in search of. He was trying to reach Asia on his exploration and found the Caribbean instead.

Answer 4

Columbus sailed to south America and had thought he had landed on the west indies but instead he had landed on the Caribbean islands and so then the name stuck.

Answer 5

we don't know why they were called the west indies okay

Answer 6

These islands are called the West Indies because when Christopher Columbus landed there in 1492 and he believed that he had reached the Indies.

Answer 7

Because Columbus was trying to find a new route to India by traveling West rather than South, long story short he ended up in the wrong place and called it the West Indies

Answer 8

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