The Little Ice Age was a period between 1550 and 1850 when the weather became significantly colder than usual. There were three especially cold intervals that started in 1650, 1770 and 1850. In Europe and North America, the winters were much colder. Snow was heavier and stayed around longer. Canals and rivers were deeply frozen. In some countries, crops failed and livestock could not be maintained because the winters were so harsh. On a related note, some historians believed that witch hunts increased during this time.