What’s the Difference Between a State and a Commonwealth?
Virginia , Pennsylvania , Kentucky , and Massachusetts share an interesting trait : They ’re the onlyfour statesin the U.S. that have the wordcommonwealthas part of their official championship . The name may sound fancy , but body politic are no different from the 46 " unconstipated " state that consist the nation . According toMerriam - Webster , commonwealthdescribes a nation , state , or other political unit of measurement " founded on police force and unite by stocky or silent agreement of the the great unwashed for the coarse good ....