Neoclassicism was modeled on the ideals of ancient Greece and Rome and on Renaissance interpretations. It is often called Greek or Roman Revival.

Proportions, layout, components, and materials all are important elements in architecture. Notably, English and Continental influences that reached the colonies (the future United States) began to take hold, but the trend gained steam later in the 18th century and dominated the first half of the 19th century.

The conceptual ideals of the young republic, which drew on Rome as well, were thought to be reflected in the buildings, rendering the style suitable for the new nation.

The American variant known as "federal style" had its primary practitioner in Benjamin Latrobe (born in England). Thomas Jefferson's architectural talents, following Palladian models, shaped his plantation, Monticello, and the nearby University of Virginia campus.

Many public buildings such as capitols feature variants of one style with a prominent dome. Examples are the Virginia State Capitol (Thomas Jefferson) and later the U.S. Capitol (begun in 1793, several architects).

Like many other aspects of metropolitan culture, Neoclassicism began to gain in popularity in the second half of the eighteenth century in the American colonies. Scholars have long noted the popularity of republicanism, itself identified with classical origins, among American intellectuals, and the architecture of the period began to reflect this trend. Perhaps the most famous surviving example of neoclassical architecture in eighteenth-century America is Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. Jefferson consciously modeled the portico and other parts of the house after the works of Andrea Palladio, a popular inspiration among neoclassical architects. Similarly, he based his design for another Neoclassical building, the Virginia state capitol, on the Maison Carrée, a well-preserved Roman temple he had admired while in France. The new Federal architecture that emerged after independence also reflected a strong classical influence.