How many individual states are in the United States?
A-46, B-48, C-50, or D-57
Any 3rd grade kid should be able to answer C-50, and be correct. But as it turns out, four of our fifty "states" define themselves as, "Commonwealths," not "states." These four Commonwealths are Massachusetts, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. So, what's the difference between a "Commonwealth" and a "state?"
STATE:
Merriam Webster defines a state as:
a: a politically organized body of people usually occupying a definite territory, especially: one that is sovereign
b: the political organization of such a body of people
c: a government or politically organized society having a particular character
In the United States, 50 of these organized bodies make up a Federation. Merriam Webster defines a Federation as:
An encompassing political or societal entity formed by uniting smaller or more localized entities: such as:
a: a federal government
b: a union of organizations
The Federation did not divide the country up into states for governing purposes, but rather joined the existing states together. Since each state retains its own form of government, and laws (sovereignty), we have a Federal Government, not a National one. In a National Government, the individual states would have no ability to govern themselves, and every state would be subject to the exact same National Law. Our Federal Government only intervenes when a state’s law goes against a Federal law. (or at least that's how it's supposed to work...)
Ok, we all understand everything so far, but what's the difference between a State and a Commonwealth?
Again, asking Merriam Webster, there are several definitions of "Commonwealth:"
1- .....
2- .....
3- .....
4- a state of the U.S. —used officially of Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia
5-.....
6- an association of self-governing autonomous states more or less loosely associated in a common allegiance (as to the British crown) (emphasis mine)
For all intents and purposes (legal and constitutional), there is no difference between our states and commonwealths. There are no special statutes or provisions in our U.S. Constitution for these commonwealths. So, why do these four states choose to adhere to a colonial nomenclature? The reason lies in their history and British roots of which they are so proud. The founding fathers of these states were deeply influenced by English philosophers like Locke and Hobbes. These philosophers used the word "Commonwealth" to refer to an organized political community. It is also reflected in the wording of the constitutions of these four states, where they used the term, "Commonwealth" to make it clear that the authority of the people was superior to that of the government and those governments were responsible to the people and not to the Crown.
So, for all practical purposes, there really isn't any differences, between a "State" and a "Commonwealth," and you would be quite correct by answering the above question with the answer of "C- 50, Final answer."
But for the purist, you would be technically correct in answering, "A- 46, in addition to 4 Commonwealths, Final answer."
And as the late Paul Harvey used to say, "Now you know the rest of the story."
