Week 4: Notes and Slides (27-29))

Question 1

True or False: After 1300, Europe experienced a warming period that helped agricultural development.

Answer 1

False. After 1300, Europe experienced a cooling period known as the “Little Ice Age,” which created challenges for agriculture.

Question 2

Yes or No: Did medieval European agriculture continue to thrive despite the Little Ice Age?

Answer 2

No. The cooler temperatures negatively impacted crop yields, as many of the borrowed crops, like fruits and sugars, could no longer grow in the colder climate.

Question 3

Define: Little Ice Age

Answer 3

A period of cooling that occurred after the Medieval Warm Period, around 1300–1850, affecting much of Europe and North America with colder temperatures, glacier advancement, and harsh winters.

Question 4

Which of the following is a consequence of the Little Ice Age on European agriculture?

a) Increased yield of exotic fruits

b) Expansion of Mediterranean crops

c) Decline in crop production and localized farming

d) Transition to industrialized farming

Answer 4

c

Question 5

How did the European approach to technology give them an advantage during the climate shifts of the Little Ice Age?

Answer 5

Europeans’ interest in technological advancements allowed them to develop methods to adapt to changing conditions, providing resilience despite a smaller population needing to stay on the land.

Question 6

Explain how the structural landscape of Europe’s farming changed with the introduction of colder temperatures after 1300.

Answer 6

The colder temperatures forced European agriculture to become more localized and less diverse, as certain crops could no longer grow in the colder climate.

This limited production, affecting the types and availability of food.

Question 7

Match the Term with the Description:

Match the Term:
Little Ice Age
Medieval Warm Period
Technological Adaptation

Descriptions:
- A period of increased temperatures in Europe, allowing for expanded agriculture and trade of exotic crops.

• Cooling period after 1300 that affected European crop production and led to harsher winters.
• European innovations in farming and machinery that helped maintain productivity during climate shifts.

Answer 7

Little Ice Age - Cooling period after 1300 that affected European crop production and led to harsher winters.

Medieval Warm Period - A period of increased temperatures in Europe, allowing for expanded agriculture and trade of exotic crops.

Technological Adaptation - European innovations in farming and machinery that helped maintain productivity during climate shifts.

Question 8

Yes or No: Did the introduction of the heavy plough and horse collar help European agriculture during the Little Ice Age?

Answer 8

Yes. These technological advancements increased efficiency in soil cultivation, allowing European farmers to better manage their fields even in difficult conditions.

Question 9

What was one major challenge European farmers faced during the Little Ice Age?

a) Harsh winters and shorter growing seasons

b) Lack of fertile land

b) An excess of exotic crops

d) Increased population growth

Answer 9

A