The term ' commonwealth' does not describe or provide for any specific political status or legal relationship when used by a state. Protected areas ( Conservation district, National monument, National park).Unorganized Borough / Census area / Villages / District (USVI) / District (AS).

Indian reservation ( list) / Hawaiian home land / Alaska Native tribal entity / Pueblo / Off-reservation trust land / Tribal Jurisdictional Area.states.ĭefinition This article is part of a series on However, the 'commonwealth' appellation has no legal or political significance, and it does not make 'commonwealth' states any different from other U.S. As such, they share a strong influence of English common law in some of their laws and institutions. The four states – Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia – are all in the Eastern United States, and prior to the formation of the United States in 1776 were British colonial possessions (although Kentucky did not exist as an independent polity under British rule, instead being a part of colonial Virginia). ' Commonwealth' is a traditional English term used to describe a political community as having been founded for the common good. insular area).Ĭommonwealth is a term used by four of the 50 states of the United States in their full official state names. insular areas that designate themselves as 'Commonwealths', see Commonwealth (U.S.

What states are commonwealth states