2. • For years, Western Europe had
been experiencing a time of
great prosperity
• It had been a time know as the
“medieval warming period”
• The little ice age began when
temperatures started
becoming more cool from
1150 and 1460
• Temperatures became very
cold from 1560 to 1850
3. • The little ice age was a time when temperatures decreased
• The average temperature was 4 degrees cooler than today in 1300
• It does not seem like it is a great difference but it had a great effect on the earth
• Glaciers advanced
• Famines began
• Important waters froze
• Disease was spread
4. • The little ice age also helped fuel the
bubonic plague
• People were weakened from a lack
of food from the famines
increasing the number of deaths
caused by the plague
• Many at the time thought the extreme
colds were being caused by witches
• Over 50,000 people were accused of
being witches
• The cold temperatures killing crops, along with
increased rains washing them away caused a large
widespread famine all over Europe
• These famines killed thousands of people, decreasing
the population
5. • The cold temperatures may have also caused volcanic eruptions
• The sulfuric gasses in eruptions is thought to cause a change in climate
• It also had a serious effect on Napoleon’s army, as the cold weather caused the
death of many of his men
• It is theorized that the little ice age may have allowed for the perfect tone in
instruments
• The smaller widths of the rings in trees may have been the cause of this
