U.S. History
Why Are Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Kentucky Called Commonwealths?
190
Article
The United States is made up of 50 states, yet four of them — Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Kentucky — are officially referred to as commonwealths. Their names are technically styled as the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, etc. The term “commonwealth” is frequently associated with Great Britain, and its ongoing alignment with many countries that were formerly part of the British Empire. But in the U.S., which was also once under British rule, the term has a somewhat different meaning. A commonwealth is defined as a political entity founded for the good ...Read More
-
U.S. HistoryFact3Navy bean soup has been on the Senate menu every day since 1903.
Though no one’s sure who to thank for the tradition — some say Senator Fred Dubois of Idaho, while others credit Minnesota’s Knute Nelson — one item has been on…
-
U.S. HistoryFact13In 1941, the U.S. Postal Service moved $9 billion in gold to Fort Knox.
No visitors are allowed at the Fort Knox Bullion Depository, and for good reason: About half of the U.S. Treasury’s gold reserves are stored there, making it one of the…
-
U.S. HistoryArticle527 Symbols on the Dollar Bill — and What They Mean
For most people, the only thing that matters about cash is the value printed on each bill and the total amount filling their wallets. But folks with a sharp eye…
-
U.S. HistoryArticle18What Grocery Stores Used To Look Like
Since most of us walk into a grocery store with our minds fixated on the items needed to fill up the fridge and pantry, it’s rare that we take the…
