The Federal style of architecture acquired its title from the American historical era of the same name. This era of      time in American history is one filled with importance and monumental occruences that have shaped America into    what it is today. The end of the revolution, the creation of the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution of the  United  States, and the Bill of Rights were all incidents of this time period. As the founding fathers tried to create an    identity for this country, they sought a national identity that would unite the new republic and its people. They used  Rome as their source of inspiration for countless facets of their culture: freedom, government, education, arts, and so  on. As a result, the architecture of this era followed the Roman style.
       The federal style is primarily characterized by a distinctly elaborate use of interior space, within a sweeping,  geometrically-based Roman cube on the exterior. The Federal Style found its greatest popularity with wealthy,  sea-trading merchants. This style retained the English  interior grace and magnificence, as well as its unusually unique  use of space. However, the exterior became severely plain, employing little, if any, decoration. This architectural  strictness greatly appealed to the Puritan values of New Englanders, where a showy outward face would have been  frowned upon. The Federal Style gained prominence as an architectural expression of the power, wealth, and  influence  of its members.

Other characteristics of this style include:

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