Final answer:
In the Cretaceous and throughout geologic history, climate has been affected by plate tectonics, volcanic activity, changes in Earth's orbit, atmospheric composition, and ocean currents.
Step-by-step explanation:
The large-scale earth processes affecting the climate in the Cretaceous and other points in geologic history include plate tectonics and volcanic activity, changes in the Earth's orbit, and variations in atmospheric composition and ocean currents. These are natural processes that have significantly influenced Earth's climate over millions of years. For instance, the arrangement of continents and oceans due to plate tectonics affects ocean currents and, therefore, climate patterns.
It's important to note that human activities and industrialization have only started to affect the climate during the period since the Industrial Revolution. Since that time, the primary driver of climate change has been the greenhouse effect exacerbated by human-generated increases in greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.