Was the sun at solar maximum during the little ice age?

The little ice age lasted for hundreds of years from about 1200-1700.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Ice_Age

The sun spot cycle is a regular 11 year cycle in which the sun has more or less sun spots.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_variation

Why were glaciers expanding in 1550 when the sun was still following this cycle and was sometimes as active as our sun is now?

You have posed some perplexing problem and anyone who reads this will feel less than sure about climate change, nonetheless the claim that “there is no man made crisis” is a little cocksure for the evidence being given as reason. We need to think and read more on this matter to fully understand our relationship to the earth’s atmosphere and temperature. I have posted some links to relevant scholarly works on the subject in case some are interested.

http://aos.princeton.edu/WWWPUBLIC/gkv/history/Budyko69.pdf

https://www8.imperial.ac.uk/content/dav/ad/workspaces/physics/spat/Jo/THE%20ROLE%20OF%20STRATOSPHERIC%20OZONE%20IN%20MODULATING%20THE%20SOLAR%20RADIATIVE%20FORCING%20OF%20CLIMATE.pdf

http://www.eoearth.org/article/causes_of_climate_change

Dear Mr. Harper,

This December, you face a decision that will shape the world that future generations will inhabit. You must insist the 15th Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen is delayed. The East Anglian CRU (Climatic Research Unit ) have proved beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the “global warming” scam was perpetrated with criminal intent to defraud the public of massive amounts of money, advance an ideological agenda, and make the criminals involved, quite wealthy. All at our expense.* “In the absence of an international understanding, and in the absence of an international framework, it is difficult for any country to finalize domestic policies and to put in place its domestic approach — whether that’s a regulatory approach, or something else.”**

On Friday, news broke that a hacker had broken in to the computer systems used by the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia in Britain, obtaining more than 1,000 e-mails and 3,000 documents. The material, which covers a period of more than a decade, has led many to conclude that climate scientists associated with the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and various government agencies have been cooking the books to make the case for man-made global warming.* ** This has further resulted in the CRU’s Phil Jones resignation from his position as director.

Mr. Harper, the ’science’ behind Copenhagen is compromised beyond redemption. The documents and emails illustrated how prominent climatologists, affiliated with the UN’s International Panel on Climate Change, embarked on a venomous and coordinated campaign to ostracize climate skeptics and use their influence to keep dissenting reports from appearing in peer-reviewed journals, as well as using cronyism to avoid compliance with Freedom of Information Act requests. Climate change opponents say the E-mails indicate that climate change researchers—including Penn State Prof. Michael Mann—exaggerated or fabricated global warming data. And, according to the report, some E-mails indicate that the director of the research unit in question may have contacted researchers and asked them to “delete certain E-mails.” At this time the Penn State administration plans to investigate ‘Climategate’ and determine if it needs to take further action, the Daily Collegian reports.

In consideration, the great people of Canada, do not need to wait for other countries to investigate these serious charges for us.Your leadership in Copenhagen will be an important step in uncovering the truth of the effects of CO2 and the effects of global climate change. It is our duty to ensure that the world our grandchildren inherit will be one filled with clean, healthy resources and great prosperity. Legitimate peer reviews need to be accomplished, and a formal investigation must be completed before we enter into Treaty whereas all the data is not thoroughly scrutinized. It is imperative to the success of this Great Sovereign Nation you honour the Canadians you represent.

As the head of government of a world-respected G-8 economy, you must demand the IPCC be fully investigated.

I also ask that you commit to developing and adhering to a realistic plan to ensure Canada’s commitment in green technology and clean energy jobs.

Thank you,

Ronald Draycott, Proud Canadian
Calgary, Alberta

*Canadian Free Press – November 30, 2009 **Environment Minister Jim Prentice ***National Post – November 23, 2009