Why are 4 states called Commonwealth?

Why are 4 states called Commonwealth?

The reason these states are called commonwealths is because when their constitutions were drafted, they referred to themselves as such. 17th century political philosophers like Thomas Hobbes and John Locke used the term to represent an organized political community.

Why is Pennsylvania a commonwealth state?

officially the designation is ‘Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. ‘ A commonwealth is a community formed for the ‘common weal’ — that is, for the common good and welfare of all — in which the citizens choose their government and make their laws by majority vote.”

What is the difference between a Commonwealth and a republic?

A Commonwealth refers to an independent state created for the common good and includes various forms of government such as republics, constitutional monarchies, federations and confederations. A Republic is a particular form of government, one that does not have a monarch as its head of state.

Why is it the Commonwealth of Massachusetts?

Legally, Massachusetts is a commonwealth because the term is contained in the Constitution. 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.” This term was the preferred usage of some political writers.

What makes Kentucky a commonwealth?

Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Kentucky are all commonwealths. So what makes them different from the rest of the 50 states? Literally nothing. They are commonwealths simply because their state constitutions say they’re commonwealths.

Do Commonwealth states have different laws?

The Commonwealth states There are four US states whose legal names include the term Commonwealth: Kentucky, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. However, this term does not affect laws or life in these states today, nor did it when they were first created either.

What are the four states that are called the Commonwealth?

The four U.S. states (red) that refer to themselves with the term “Commonwealth”. Commonwealth is a designation used by four of the 50 states of the United States in their full official state names: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

What are the four states of the United States called?

The four U.S. states (red) that refer to themselves with the term “Commonwealth”. Commonwealth is a designation used by four of the 50 states of the United States in their full official state names: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good.

Is the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania a state or a state?

Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, and Massachusetts are all technically commonwealths. The flag of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The term commonwealth refers to a group of people organized politically under one government and also a group of nations that have similar objectives and interests.

Is the Commonwealth of Virginia the same as a state?

The Commonwealth of Virginia will also sometimes use the term State in an official capacity. This is why there is both a Virginia State University and a Virginia Commonwealth University . Much of the confusion surrounding the term commonwealth probably comes from the fact that a commonwealth has a different meaning when it’s not applied to a state.