Splain the difference please

[a1mamacat]

State
Commonwealth
Territory
District

Tyvm.

[earendel]

State
Commonwealth
Territory
District

Tyvm.

Good luck getting a straight answer. Should we place a wager on how long it takes for this thread to devolve into a shouting match the way my question about RINOs did?

[BackInTex]

State
Commonwealth
Territory
District

Tyvm.

Good luck getting a straight answer. Should we place a wager on how long it takes for this thread to devolve into a shouting match the way my question about RINOs did?

I'll take the over. I don't think the terms or definitions are ideological. To be honest, I don't know the technical differencee between Commonwealth and State.

[jarnon]

I’ll answer about Commonwealth since I live in one. Wikipedia says four states call themselves commonwealths: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia
Two territories: Puerto Rico (only in English) and Northern Mariana Islands
Three other countries: Australia, Bahamas and Dominica

“Commonwealth” is an old term meaning “common good.” According to the Massachusetts constitution: “the body politic is formed by a voluntary association of individuals: it is a social compact, by which the whole people covenants with each citizen, and each citizen with the whole people, that all shall be governed by certain laws for the common good.” I suppose every state shares this belief, but only a few choose to put the word in their names, the way some countries add “Republic” or “Federation” to their names.

[a1mamacat]

State
Commonwealth
Territory
District

Tyvm.

Good luck getting a straight answer. Should we place a wager on how long it takes for this thread to devolve into a shouting match the way my question about RINOs did?

I wondered about that too, which is why I put it here

[kroxquo]

The difference between commonwealth and state is largely semantic. In essence they are just two different names for the same thing. I think territories are semi-autonomous that operate as states with the protections of states but without having the direct participation in the federal government. Districts are owned and administered directly by the federal government.

[a1mamacat]

The difference between commonwealth and state is largely semantic. In essence they are just two different names for the same thing. I think territories are semi-autonomous that operate as states with the protections of states but without having the direct participation in the federal government. Districts are owned and administered directly by the federal government.

Brilliant, thank you!

[Ritterskoop]

It always unsettles me when I see Puerto Rico compete against the US in sports, because they are a territory (that wants to be a state).

But I get that people from Puerto Rico have a distinct culture that might should be its own country?

Complicated. I need to read about the history.

I feel like some of the US territories are places we took over, and called them territories rather than colonies because paternalism (or because we dint like being a colony, back before). But that is probably way oversimplified, and also probably not even correct. There is more to learn.