The ideology of a “Republican Man” is based on the principle that a man should be modest, well educated, and self-sufficient. Thomas Jefferson designed his residence at Monticello to reflect his values of the “Republican Man”. Monticello’s exterior was designed to look like a single floor home, but in reality had three floors and a basement. Jefferson gave his house this appearance to give the impression of a more modest dwelling. After the Revolutionary war, Jefferson did not want the United States to turn back to the ways of the very extravagant and ostentatious English Monarchy. By designing Monticello to appear to only have one floor, Jefferson tried to appear as a common individual rather than one of wealth. A “Republican Man” was
