35 False 'Facts' That You Wrongly Believe (And 1 That You Should)
1. There Are 50 States In The U.S.A
Actually there aren't... at least, not technically. Each of the four states of Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia are officially designated with the prefix "The Commonwealth of...". While still considered to be states in every other respect, they remain unique in that none of the other 46 states refer to themselves in any way other than as states. This "commonwealth" designation has no legal impact and in the context of these four states - each being among the first 15 states to join the union - the term merely refers to the common welfare of the state's people and was originally engaged to emphasise "government based on the common consent of the people", as distinct from anything to do with their previous status as royal colonies of Great Britain. As well as Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, the states of Vermont and Delaware also refer to themselves as a "commonwealth" in their constitutions, although in both cases the term is used interchangeably with the term "state" and neither state formally adopted "The Commonwealth of..." prefix as an official designation. But wait, there's more...
I'm just a guy who loves words. I discover vast tracts of uncharted enjoyment by chucking words together and coming up with stuff that talks about the things I enjoy and love most. I'm also a massive listaholic, so I'm probably talking about a list, looking at a list or banging away at another What Culture list as you read this. My tone's pretty relaxed and conversational, with a liberal sprinkling of sparkling wit, wilting sarcasm and occasional faux-condescension - with tongue almost always firmly planted in cheek.
Actually there aren't... at least, not technically. Each of the four states of Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia are officially designated with the prefix "The Commonwealth of...". While still considered to be states in every other respect, they remain unique in that none of the other 46 states refer to themselves in any way other than as states. This "commonwealth" designation has no legal impact and in the context of these four states - each being among the first 15 states to join the union - the term merely refers to the common welfare of the state's people and was originally engaged to emphasise "government based on the common consent of the people", as distinct from anything to do with their previous status as royal colonies of Great Britain. As well as Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, the states of Vermont and Delaware also refer to themselves as a "commonwealth" in their constitutions, although in both cases the term is used interchangeably with the term "state" and neither state formally adopted "The Commonwealth of..." prefix as an official designation. But wait, there's more...