


The term emphasizes the fact that citizens have chosen a government based upon the common consent of the people for the common wealth - or welfare - of those people. “Commonwealth" is an old term that refers to an organized political community - what most of us today would simply call a state - governed by the people, not a king. The states that call themselves commonwealths simply chose an older, more traditional word than “state" for their official titles. There's no constitutional difference between a state and a commonwealth. Is there a difference between a state and a commonwealth? Are commonwealths not really states? Don't worry! If you live in Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, or Virginia, you still live in one of the United States. For example, while a neighbor to the north might say he's from the “State of Indiana," a Kentucky resident might say he's from the “Commonwealth of Kentucky." Do you live in Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, or Virginia? If you do, you may hear your state referred to as a commonwealth.
