Why are the natives in America called Native-Americans when their civilization existed long before Europeans arrived to claim the continent?

Because they were natives to the American Continent. To the best of anyone's knowledge there was no native name for the country or continent. What would you suggest? Answer: This is actually a great question. Native American is just another form of political correctness. Native peoples are split on this. Some prefer Native American. Others prefer American Indian while still others feel Indian is just fine. Most refer to themselves as a member of their tribe anyway...ie..Mohegan, Tuscarora, Teton, etc. APEX a long-running pattern of whites removing Native Americans from their land, their lifestyle, and killing them.