From the arrival of the first settlers to our own day, the American house has been heavily influenced by European models. Whether British and French in New England or Spanish in the South and Southwest, the initial settlers built what they knew and were familiar with. But, of course, they adapted the styles to their new locations and the materials at hand. For example, a house in New England would have had smaller and fewer windows as a response to the harsh winters and the unavailability of glass.
