Colonial architecture is a style of architecture that emerged as colonists combined architectural styles from their country of origin with design characteristics of the settled country. It is a hybrid architectural style that reflects the multicultural influence of early settlers to the United States. The styles that arose can be referred to as "Colonial architecture," which includes Georgian Colonial, Spanish Colonial, German Colonial, French Colonial, Dutch Colonial, Federal, and Cape Cod. The dominant style up and down the East Coast throughout the 1700s was Georgian Colonial homes, which can be found in almost every community. The key characteristics of Colonial-style homes include simple, traditional design, plain exteriors with minimal embellishments, and built with wood, brick, or stone according to the region and time period. The first American Colonial-style homes developed during a period of practicality, and few changes were needed to adapt them to the more severe climate. The colonial architecture of the United States and Canada was as diverse as the peoples who settled there, and there were seven reasonably distinct regional colonial styles.