Random Question

Does anyone know why they refer to Massachusetts as a Commonwealth?

alliegence to the queen perhaps? lol. I haven't heard of that before.

Commonwealth is a term to describe nationhood but usually involves a soveriegnty to another. Maybe the use of the term here suggests that Massachusetts believes they are their own soveriegn and don't recognise the other states per se——? Really have no idea. It would depend upon the context of what was said.

LOL, MA is most definitely a state... And that would be a Commonwealth of the US, I believe, not to the queen. . . And they use it all the time here in MA instead of saying the state of MA, they say the commonwealth of MA, and it's odd...

I think they just think they're better than all the other states.

Commonwealth is a political unit , it means for the people or by the people, all authority is vested in the people. It does have english roots. I think it goes back to the restoration in the 1600? canada and australia could be called commonwealths they are self governing but loosely associated in a common allegiance to the crown.

I know what a commonwealth is. My problem is that MA is NOT a commonwealth, but yet they call themselves one.

No idea why they call themselves that. I guess the only one who can answer that is a resident from MA

Not even they know, really, I've asked.

where they a commonwealth at one time before they became a part of the u.s.?

Yeah, I'm thinking that it must be a term left over from the colony days. . . But I really can't figure out exactly what it refers to. . .