In the era leading to 1780, a popular term for a whole body of people constituting a nation or state (also known as the body politic) was the word commonwealth. Kentucky, virginia, massachusetts, and pennsylvania There are four states in the united states that call themselves commonwealths
kylie 🖤 - Find kylie 🖤 Onlyfans - Linktree
Kentucky, massachusetts, pennsylvania, and virginia
The distinction is in name alone.
Massachusetts is officially named the commonwealth of massachusetts by its constitution The name state of massachusetts bay was used in all acts and resolves up to 1780 and in the first draft of the constitution. When used in reference to one of the fifty states there is no difference between a commonwealth and a state There are four states which are officially known as commonwealths
Pennsylvania, kentucky, virginia, and massachusetts. Kentucky, massachusetts, pennsylvania, and virginia are all known as commonwealths because their constitutions use that term However, there are no legal differences between these commonwealths and the 46 other u.s You’ve heard it in speeches and seen it on government documents
Massachusetts is not a state
But what does that actually mean Massachusetts is one of four commonwealths in the nation, the others being virginia, pennsylvania and kentucky. In practical terms, massachusetts operates like any other state It has a governor, legislature, and judicial system just like the rest
But symbolically, the term “commonwealth” aligns with its identity as a place where revolutionary ideas about democracy took root. In fact, the states in question are officially the commonwealth of massachusetts, the commonwealth of pennsylvania, the commonwealth of virginia, and the commonwealth of kentucky, no matter that those names are too long to use on an everyday basis. From there on out, massachusetts legally became known as a commonwealth because it was written in the constitution as such Virginia, pennsylvania, and kentucky also called their states commonwealths
It’s important to note that commonwealths are states, but states are not commonwealths.
There are four us states whose legal names include the term commonwealth
