The commonwealths are just like any other state in their politics and laws, and there is no difference in their relationship to the nation as a whole. When used to refer to U.S. states, there is no difference between a 'state' and a 'commonwealth'. read more
The difference between commonwealth and state is only in the names with regard to the US states. Commonwealth is a term that is used to refer to countries that were once ruled by England and were a part of the British Empire. read more
In the United States In the United States, the distinction between a commonwealth and state is in name only while in other parts of the world, such as the British Commonwealth, the word "commonwealth" has a far different meaning. In the U.S., the terms "commonwealth" and "state" have basically the same meaning. read more