1. Miscalculation of Distance: Columbus underestimated the distance between Europe and Asia. He believed that Asia was much closer than it actually was, based on the geographical knowledge of his time. This miscalculation led him to mistakenly believe that he had reached Asia when he arrived in the Caribbean instead.
2. Naming: Columbus referred to the indigenous peoples he encountered as "Indians" because he mistakenly believed he had reached the East Indies (Asia) instead of the Americas. This misnomer persisted for centuries and contributed to confusion about the true identity and origins of the indigenous populations of the Americas.