Origins of Terms and Misconceptions: From the Near East to the Americas

This chapter explores the historical origins of terms like Middle East, Levant, Orient, and India, tracing them back to English, French, and Latin documents. It also discusses the broad usage of terms like Indies and trade with India to encompass various regions and goods. Furthermore, it delves into the misconceptions about the size of the earth and distances involved in westward voyages based on Ptolemy's Geographia manuscript.