The solar output by the sun has affected the earth's climate over time. In the 1600's, the sun had sunspots, and thus the earth's climate was

In the 1600's from the years 1645-1715 (50 years) there was a period known as the Maunder Minimum where the underwent a phase of very few sun spots and the brightness of the sun overall decreased and This was also coupled with an event known as the little ice age. Seasons were much shorter, the number of snowy days increased, alpine glaciers advanced and encroached on farmland and destroyed villages, tree lines retreaded, harvests were ruined due to frozen earth which caused mass famine, and there was a population decrease. The maunder minimum affected the climate by further spurring on the little ice age and the northern half of the hemisphere became much colder and inhospitable.