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So if Pennslyvania is a commonwealth, why don't we chant

Because 'state' is also an adjective that is a generic term to describe any government supported endeavor.
 
Commonwealth is a specific for of "State Government". I believe 3 of the 50 States use a Commonwealth stucture: PA, VA and MA.

Kentucky is also called a Commonwealth. It's been too long since my 9th grade Civics class, but I don't believe that there is much if any difference in how the four Commonwealths are governed than the other states. Puerto Rico is also a Commonwealth, and as everyone knows, there are considerable differences.
 
Kentucky is also called a Commonwealth. It's been too long since my 9th grade Civics class, but I don't believe that there is much if any difference in how the four Commonwealths are governed than the other states. Puerto Rico is also a Commonwealth, and as everyone knows, there are considerable differences.

Believe it has to do with how the Municipal and local governments interact with the State-Level Government. For instance Pennsylvania uses Cities, townships and buroughs within a "County" structure. There are also "unicorporated" governements such as University Park.
 
Commonwealth is a specific for of "State Government". I believe 3 of the 50 States use a Commonwealth stucture: PA, VA and MA.

You forgot Kentucky.

Commonwealth is the the King of England. Pennsylvania is not a state. It is a Commonwealth by charter and designation.

Penn State was a private college before it became state related ( a legal term ). The other "State Related" schools are: Pittsburgh, Temple and Lincoln in Chester County.

N i t t a n y A m e r i c a
 
It might have to do with PSU being the land grant university.

A land-grant college or university is an institution that has been designated by its state legislature or Congress to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890.
 
It might have to do with PSU being the land grant university.

A land-grant college or university is an institution that has been designated by its state legislature or Congress to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890.

That is correct -- the vast majority of the "Land Grant Universities" where the State endowed and named a single institution to be the sole-beneficiary of Morrill Act Federal Land Grant (some States spit the proceeds of the Federal Land Grants among multiple schools), the most common names applied to those schools either via founding or name-change was"[Insert sponsoring State name] University" (or vice versa), "[insert sponsoring State name] State University" or "[insert sponsoring State name] A&M University".
 
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That is correct -- the vast majority of the "Land Grant Universities" where the State endowed and named a single institution to be the sole-beneficiary of Morrill Act Federal Land Grant (some States spit the proceeds of the Federal Land Grants among multiple schools), the most common names applied to those schools either via founding or name-change was "[insert sponsoring State name] State University" or "[insert sponsoring State name] A&M University".

By the by, here is a link to the Land Grant Universities by State - the vast majority of the b1g is Land Grant Universities including all of the additions made since 1993 when they exceeded 10 schools - PSU, UN-L, Rutgers and Maryland are all Land Grant Schools (as are 6 of the original 10). Given the number, they should change the name of the conference from the awful sounding "b1g turd" to the "Land Grant Conference":

List of land-grant universities
 
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