The Little Ice Age

Words: 1972
Pages: 8
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Erin Whatley
Climate Change Research Paper
Professor Tu
May 7, 2016

Introduction

The issue of climate change has been focused on and speculated for many years about its causes. If a person looks back into history they realize that what we are going through is nothing new and that there have been fluctuations in our climates history. The most recent climate change event in recorded history was a phenomenon called the Little Ice Age which had been a drastic change from the Medieval Warm Period that many in Europe had grown accustomed to. For my research paper, I pose these questions. 1. What was the Little Ice Age? 2. What were the effects of the Little Ice Age on the climate of Europe? 3. What were some of the health related consequences …show more content…
Ice cores have been used to take a look back into the climate during the Little Ice Age. There are also a few records that recorded the weather during the Little Ice Age. Following a span of 6 years
My fifth question looks at the cause or causes of the Little Ice Age. There are many theories on what caused or contributed to the Little Ice Age. Some of them are: Increased volcanic activity, Solar variation and Orbital cycles. However the prominent theory is that there was a slowing down of the thermohaline circulation. “There is still a very poor understanding of the correlation between low sunspot activity and cooling temperatures. During the period 1645–1715, in the middle of the Little Ice Age, there was a period of low solar activity known as the Maunder Minimum. The Spörer Minimum has also been identified with a significant cooling period between 1460 and …show more content…
What I think can be learned from the Little Ice Age is that we should be aware that our climates are not always consistent. Just because a climate stays the same for many centuries does not mean that it will stay that way. Another lesson that can be learned from the Little Ice Age is how people adapted to make sure that the crops being grown would withstand the harsh weather conditions. It is not wise to grow only one crop. One can simply take a look at the country of France and how its refusal to adopt the potato crop caused the French Revolution. And the last lesson that should be learned from the Little Ice Age is just too simply pay attention to history. There is a possibility that a situation like this could happen and again. By taking note of how people back then adapted then perhaps we might discover new ways to adapt to climate change. If humans could adapt to the Little Ice Age then I am certain that we can adapt to any other climate
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