History Shorts: The Little Ice Age (1250-1850)

The Earth cooled following the Medieval Warm Period. It began in 1250 (or 1350) and ended around 1850. The cause of the cooling is debated. Theories range from solar activity to ocean currents to volcanic activity. Glaciers spread, winters lengthened, famines occurred, and rain increased. Essentially, it was a cold, wet period in global history. The Little Ice age caused some of histories great famines, ruined crops helping to precipitate the French Revolution, walloped Napoleon in Russia, led to ice in the Great Lakes during June, ended the Viking Age, and may have led to witch hunts after crop failures. It finally ended around 1850. This coincided with the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. As a result, some have proposed that global warming began as a result of industrialization. Others have pointed to other natural factors.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuZSMVwJLq0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdK6zbPnHw4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AXbSRjMmRI