Greek Revival. The growth of the young republic required the construction of various new buildings to house its government. Architects patterned most of the new nation's public buildings after classical models. The neoclassical lines of Greek Revival buildings suggested a simplicity that differed sharply from the luxury and decay Americans associated with British aristocracy. This republican style was intended to confer a sense of both democracy and community.

Public Buildings. Architect and engineer Benjamin Latrobe's work on the Bank of Pennsylvania (1798- 1800), considered to be the first Greek Revival structure in the United States, brought him to the attention of Thomas Jefferson. Impressed by Latrobe's ability to use and adapt Greek Revival designs to American themes, Jefferson named him surveyor of the public buildings of the United States in 1803. Latrobe oversaw the restoration of the Capitol after it was partially destroyed by fire in 1814. As...