In architecture revival means bringing something back from the past that is clearly identified with that period. A good example is the Gothic style in churches that emulated those from the late medieval era. First revived in Europe in the 18th century it was then brought to America and flourished throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. This is particularly interesting in America as the original Gothic era was prior to the colonization of America. Therefore, any Gothic looking structures had to have been built long after that original era.