Architecture in the United States, 1800-1850

Download or read book Architecture in the United States, 1800-1850 written by William Barksdale Maynard and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2002-01-01 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study traces the development of American architecture from the age of Jefferson to the antebellum era, providing a survey of this important period. W. Barksdale Maynard overturns the long-accepted notions that the chief theme of early 19th-century American architecture was a patriotic desire to escape from European influence and that competing styles chiefly reflected the American struggle for cultural uniqueness. Instead, deep and consistent aesthetic ties, especially with England, shaped American architecture and house designs. Maynard shows that the Greek Revival in particular was an international phenomenon, with American achievements inspired by British example and with taste taking precedence over patriotism.