The Unknown Little Ice The Unknown Little Ice AgeAge

2011 Summer HIST 141 – 2011 Summer HIST 141 – 5058750587

By: Le Thi My HoBy: Le Thi My Ho

The Little Ice AgeThe Little Ice Age

• Began 7 Centuries ago, approximately from the Began 7 Centuries ago, approximately from the 1414thth – 19 – 19thth Century Century that targets mankindthat targets mankind

• Extremely cold period between Extremely cold period between 1550 AD1550 AD and and 1850 AD1850 AD; identified ; identified with three particularly cold intervals: one beginning about with three particularly cold intervals: one beginning about 16501650, , another about another about 17701770, and the last in , and the last in 18501850, each separated by , each separated by intervals of slight warming climateintervals of slight warming climate

• Period of unusual cooling that occurred after a warmer North Period of unusual cooling that occurred after a warmer North Atlantic Era of the Northern Hemisphere known as the Atlantic Era of the Northern Hemisphere known as the Medieval Warm PeriodMedieval Warm Period

• Winter were longer and colder; Summer were shorter and cooler in Winter were longer and colder; Summer were shorter and cooler in many parts of the worldmany parts of the world

• Increased glaciations and storms in a number of widely spread Increased glaciations and storms in a number of widely spread regions outside Europe prior to the 20regions outside Europe prior to the 20thth century, including Alaska, century, including Alaska, New Zealand, and PatagoniaNew Zealand, and Patagonia

• Over Over 25 million25 million (1/3 population) people died during this Era due to (1/3 population) people died during this Era due to famine (starvation), weather, and diseasesfamine (starvation), weather, and diseases

Climatologists and Historians don’t Climatologists and Historians don’t even know exactly the date the even know exactly the date the Little Ice Age occurred or endedLittle Ice Age occurred or ended

Important dates and evidences that contributed to and indicated the Important dates and evidences that contributed to and indicated the beginning and end of the Little Ice Age:beginning and end of the Little Ice Age:

1000 AD1000 AD Vikings settled in Greenland Vikings settled in Greenland1250 1250 Atlantic pack ice began to growAtlantic pack ice began to grow13001300 Warm summers stopped being Warm summers stopped being

dependable in Northern Europedependable in Northern Europe1315 1315 The rains and Great Famine of The rains and Great Famine of

1315-13171315-131713471347 Bubonic Plague/Black Death Bubonic Plague/Black Death

from Asiafrom Asia1550 1550 Theorized beginning of Theorized beginning of

worldwide glacial expansionworldwide glacial expansion1600-101600-10  Advances by Chamonix   Advances by Chamonix

(France) glaciers cause massive (France) glaciers cause massive floods which destroyed three floods which destroyed three villages and severely damaged a villages and severely damaged a fourthfourth

1670-80's1670-80's Maximum historical advances  Maximum historical advances by glaciers in eastern Alps. Noticeable by glaciers in eastern Alps. Noticeable decline of human population by this decline of human population by this time in areas close to glaciers, time in areas close to glaciers, whereas population elsewhere in whereas population elsewhere in Europe had risenEurope had risen

1695-17091695-1709 Iceland glaciers advance Iceland glaciers advance dramatically, destroying farmsdramatically, destroying farms

1710-17351710-1735 A glacier in Norway was A glacier in Norway was advancing at a rate of 100 m per year advancing at a rate of 100 m per year for 25 yearsfor 25 years

1748-501748-50 Norwegian glaciers achieved Norwegian glaciers achieved their historical maximum LIA positionstheir historical maximum LIA positions

1815 1815 “A year without a summer”“A year without a summer”18451845 Ireland adopted the potato as their Ireland adopted the potato as their

main cropmain crop18501850 Ice Age Ended Ice Age Ended

Possible Causes of the Little Ice Possible Causes of the Little Ice AgeAge• Orbital CyclesOrbital Cycles

– Orbital forcing due to cycles in the Earth's orbit around the Sun Orbital forcing due to cycles in the Earth's orbit around the Sun

• Cyclical Lows In Solar RadiationCyclical Lows In Solar Radiation– Not producing enough solar activityNot producing enough solar activity

• Heightened Volcanic ActivityHeightened Volcanic Activity– Eruptions cause hot gas in the atmosphereEruptions cause hot gas in the atmosphere

• Changes In The Ocean CirculationChanges In The Ocean Circulation– Slowing of thermohaline circulation Slowing of thermohaline circulation

• Inherent Variability Of ClimateInherent Variability Of Climate– Cooling of the Northern Hemisphere – decreased by 4Cooling of the Northern Hemisphere – decreased by 4°F°F

• Decreased Human PopulationsDecreased Human Populations– Major population declines in Eurasia and the Americas leading to a Major population declines in Eurasia and the Americas leading to a

cooling trend cooling trend

What was its effect on What was its effect on History?History?• AgricultureAgriculture

– Decrease in crop production: Wheat, Rye, Barley, Oats, GrapesDecrease in crop production: Wheat, Rye, Barley, Oats, Grapes– Potatoes (Devil’s Plant) were introduced and highly consumedPotatoes (Devil’s Plant) were introduced and highly consumed– Increase in forest/tree populationIncrease in forest/tree population

• HealthHealth– Bubonic Plague/Black DeathBubonic Plague/Black Death

• EconomicsEconomics– Increase in price of cropsIncrease in price of crops– Decrease wine productionDecrease wine production– Beer and Hard Liquor highly consumedBeer and Hard Liquor highly consumed– Increase in deep-sea fishing Increase in deep-sea fishing – Growth of merchant shippingGrowth of merchant shipping

• Social strifeSocial strife• EmigrationEmigration• Art and LiteratureArt and Literature

– Writers increased Writers increased • Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein and The VampireMary Shelley wrote Frankenstein and The Vampire

– Artists increasedArtists increased• Historical beautiful paintingsHistorical beautiful paintings

SourcesSources

• Documentary: Little Ice Age: Documentary: Little Ice Age: Big ChillBig Chill

• WikipediaWikipedia: Little Ice Age: Little Ice Age

• The Little Ice Age in EuropeThe Little Ice Age in Europe