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Re: Questions about Starvation and War
Patrick J Crowe (v187ef4y@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu)
Fri, 3 Feb 1995 03:46:00 GMT
In article <3gmuu6$dob@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, mbawilliam@aol.com (MBAWilliam)
writes...
> .
> [earlier citation lost] .
>>>3. The Little Ice Age might have been very stressful for American
>>>Indians. Areas that could support a substantial population
>>>previously, might cause starvation when there were several bad
>>>winters.
> .
>>I just read from an authoritative source that the
>>Little Ice Age was a time of *increased* populations
>>of Plains bison and humans, largely because of en-
>>hanced precipitation. I'm working now on permission
>>to pass on the text, or a reference to it. More, in
>>time.
>
>I'm curious as to the definition of the "Little Ice Age"...In the
>Northeast, there was a significant cooling during the 13th and early 14th
>centuries (Bendremer 1993), to the point where maize horticulture appears
>to have been effected. However, during that time, the populations in the
>same region do not appear to decline, and in fact increase. We also see
>significant changes in settlement and trade patterns, as well as possible
>renegotiations of gender and socials roles, indicative of larger, more
>sedentary populations.
Overall, there was a population increase, but in localized areas there was
abandonment. For example, on the Allegheny Plateau there had been settlements
of maize horticulturalists during the preceding Neoatlantic Optimum, but these
were unable to continue during the (Neoboreal?).
-Pat Crowe, SUNY at Buffalo
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