How many states are there in the USA?

[OConnellsHeros]

Hawaii,Alaska



[TheSmackerlacker]

Why do you Brits know so much about America? I don't even know the names of the units that the UK is divided into.

[SAMagic]

@TheSmackerlacker Counties!

I think.

[Yookiwooki]

wow im from massachusetts and while I knew sometimes we call ourselves a commonwealth, i didnt know that we weren't technically a state

[dockie1971]

Isn't California technically a Republic? It has it on the state flag.

[CowLunch]

@dockie1971 Google "California Republic" and you'll see why it says that.

[IoEstasCedonta]

@dockie1971 So does Massachusetts.

[IoEstasCedonta]

@dockie1971 And Connecticut, too, now that I've checked.

[lellbelle]

three states, sober, drunk, passed out.

[TG1212able]

They are Commonwealths, but that's really in name only. There is no difference at all between states that call themselves States and states that call themselves Commonwealths. They call themselves Commonwealths for historical reasons, as the term was adopted back in the revolutionary days.

[BlueManIan]

HEY LOOK, IT'S CLIVE ANDERSON!

[AnArchy2k10]

colloid is also a state of matter

[septentrionale]

I was just in England, and every person I met was convinced there were 52 states.

[darthvaderyoda]

@septentrionale Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands

[gahzeyboe]

I'm an American, so when I saw the title of this video, I was like "... uh oh...".

[Zukashi07]

To all those kicking up a fuss:

THOU SHALT NOT QUESTION STEPHEN FRY

[CaptHayfever]

@Zukashi07 That's only because he's the host & controls the klaxon, not because he's actually infallible. Those four commonwealths are *also* states.

[CaptHayfever]

@CaptHayfever And if they're NOT states, then they need to surrender their seats in the Senate, because only Senators from states are to be seated.

[AtarahDerek]

50 states, four of which are also commonwealths, and seven territories.

[WTFGamingUSA]

Wtf, there are 50 states in the USA, they are not commonwealths. Where in the bloody hell did you get those facts?

[crazipaperclip]

@WTFGamingUSA they actually are commonwealths, but it doesn't actually make any difference.

[ShawnRavenfire]

I think Pennsylvania is both a commonweatlh AND a state. I'm not sure how that works. Also, I think Puerto Rico is a U.S. commonwealth, but also a soverign nation. It's very confusing.

[omgiownk]

who cares we don't know shit about britian anyways

[IV4zx]

@omgiownk Yet you watch Pat Condells videos, Bravo.

[KuroiNekoXIII]

no it is 50

[Countrygirltori24]

U.S. actually is one state...since a state is a form of government in its literal terminology. We should really call states provinces like the Canadians do. This coming from a New Yorker

[Udany147]

@Countrygirltori24 there's a difference between a SOVEREIGN state and a state as a sub-division.

[ItachiLover2]

Wait...I'm not a state? =O

[Waluigi101]

That feel when QI gives out false information. They're Commonwealths AND States, and that was a rhetorical question.

[PaulieFetz]

Regardless of their form of government and organization, the constituent entities of the United States of America number 50, as they are parties to the Constitution, have membership in the representative bodies of Congress, etc. The real sticking point comes up if you ask, what are the territories of the USA...what qualifies as territory, protectorate, overseas something or other...?

[aidanosull91]

@PaulieFetz "Breaking news", nobody cares

[Reid573]

Press 3 for General Melchett's laugh

[cspr91]

What´s the point of retorical questions? I see what you did there :O

[benhd1]

@cspr91 *rhetorical

[wemorris1001]

The way Stephen says "quite right" is good haha.

[Babyhowdy233]

(cont.) Only four U.S, states actually call themselves Common Wealth states, Meaning they have a state based on the consent of the people, origin of common wealth states is pre consitution, and has no bearing on the U.S consitution, it just meant that the state is governed based on the consent of the people, as pertaining to Laws, and not of British rule.

[Babyhowdy233]

Common wealth means that a State or Country is governed to benefit for the common well-being as opposed to Authoritarian rule.

I would like to think that all U.S. states are governed that way, but the U.S. and all its states are governed by The wealthy. if you have money, your voice is heard longer and stonger than the common or poor person.

(cont.)

[jackchrisevans]

No. It was just a guess. Anyway. Gosh, how interesting.

[Spameggssausage]

Clive Anderson fucking up Whose Line is bad enough. We DO NOT need him fucking up QI with his monumental dullness.

[andyc992]

what series and episode was this from? Anyone know?

[Crunchy68]

Along with the "Nobody Knows" sign, they should have a Bullshit-o-Meter for folks to frankly call shennanigans on stuff we really KNOW they got wrong. The elves are brilliant, but not infallible.

[pwb5028]

This video is wrong. Those "commonwealths" are still states. They are represented equally in congress, and still live under the rule of the federal government. for example, puerto rico is a commonwealth of the US, however, it is not a state and not represented in congress. Since im from pennsylvania, i think i would know this.

[Denarpsaurus]

@pwb5028 Are you actually attempting to argue with the record breaking smartest man in britain?

[pwb5028]

@Denarpsaurus i suppose so since this record breaking smartest man in britain is in fact, wrong

[Crunchy68]

@pwb5028 You're RIGHT. They should totally give those points back to Alan, and shame on them for getting it wrong! And Stephen should be made to apologize. And Alan should get to ask some nasty misleading tricky questions. That would be fun.

[pwb5028]

@fowzie777 just because i live in america doesnt mean i dont know jack shit about america. just because u have access to the internet and a youtube account doesnt make u a smart person...

[Atchuu2004]

The commonwealths have a few interesting differences from normal states, for instance, I know in Virginia and Pennsylvania (maybe the other 2 as well) you can legally own the section of a river that flows through your property. This means that if you were to go fishing or hunting you could no wade through the river to travel up/down stream unlike in other states like West Virginia. This law predates the declaration of independence and the forming of the united states and is grandfathered in.

[WakingLife55]

*Mind Blown*



[superfluteman1]

Puerto Rico is also a commonwealth and is the only non state.

[LittleBabyBum]

0:22 Lord Melchett! :)

[YWu1990]

52

[HairyHariyama]

I laughed mostly at the rhetorical question bit at the start.

[polarbear1876]

He's wrong. Commonwealth is in their respective names, but they are constitutionally and literally states. The federal government lists 50 states. The US Mint had the 50 State Quarters Program, which was approved and ordered by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Clinton. There are 50 states.

[MissionaryMan]

@polarbear1876 Yes just cause you say it means its true.

[polarbear1876]

@MissionaryMan The United States government's official website: 50 states. Just go to USA.gov and to their state agencies section. They say "50 States and the District of Columbia".

[Fndrm14]

@trlkly If we use this rationale then we have 52 states because Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands are both commonwealths.

Officially the U.S. has 46 states.

[TheBinaryNomad]

@Fndrm14 Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands are US territories who refer to themselves as commonwealths. Kentucky, Virgina, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts are US states who refer to themselves as commonwealths. What matters in the end is what the federal government calls them and the feds call them states (and PR and the NMI territories).

[ObadiahtheSlim]

Doesn't matter. Those commonwealths are still states in the idea that they are political entities under a sovereign government.

[atjnAdfhhjea]

One State, the Nation as a whole is all that matters.

[Azyashi]

There are three states in the USA

Solid, Liquid and Gas.

[Jaytheradical]

@Azyashi *KLAXXON*

There are six. Solid, liquid, gas, plasma, Bose–Einstein condensate, and Fermionic condensate, also known as Filament.

[pporkypigg]

@Jaytheradical *KLAXON* (You spelt this wrong.)

There are more like 15 - Solid, amorphous solid, liquid, gas, plasma, superfluid, supersolid, degenerate matter, neutronium, strongly symmetric matter, weakly symmetric matter, quark-gluon plasma, fermionic condensate, Bose-Einstein condensate and strange matter.

Is it time to renew your Geek Squad membership? 

[Angdharagh]

@pporkypigg I suspect this is a reference to the episode where Alan and Stephen swapped places; Alan asked how many states of matter there where and Stephen responded "Four." receiving klaxons and being given that answer.

[jackchrisevans]

@Jaytheradical let me guess. you knew that from seeing the QI clip where alan is the quizmaster and he asks this to stephen

[LichQueenKathie]

@Jaytheradical Smartarse :p

[TheFinisherMrC]

@Jaytheradical *KLAXON*

You're missing a few, there are at least 15. Although the list grows almost daily. My latest best effort is:

Solid, amorphous solid, liquid, gas, plasma, super-fluid, supersolid, degenerate matter, neutronium, strongly symmetric matter, weakly symmetric matter, quark-gluon plasma, fermionic condensate, Bose-Einstein condensate and strange matter.

[blondemario]

@TheFinisherMrC No, there is one. It's called the United States of America.

[GREGCAROLAN]

@Jaytheradical Well actually there are 12.

Solid, Liquid, Gas, Plasma, Superfluid, Supersolid, Bose-Einstein condensate, Fermionic condensate, String-net liquid, Supercritical fluid, Colloid and Degenerate matter

correct someone correctly next time.

[Brendan9895]

@GREGCAROLAN He was referencing Alan Davies when he takes over the show for a couple of minutes, search the clip on youtube, it's hilarious

[adzo202]

@Jaytheradical Sheldon Cooper is among us...

[Havockeer]

@Jaytheradical Superfluids?

[barrywalsh789]

@Havockeer Yes. Liquid helium, when cooled to the limits of absolute 0, behaves strangely. It's frictionless. If you were to somehow hold it in a test tube, it'd crawl up the inside walls, down the outside and drip from underneath it

[Chewyfied]

@Jaytheradical You're not even close pal.

[TDaViEzZ1994]

@Jaytheradical Actually the QI book of general ignorance claims there are over 15. :P

[mrbentom09]

@Jaytheradical *KLAXXON*

Last I looked it was 22 with more being rapidly discovered. Some you missed were supersolid, superliquid and amorphous solid. I can't remember the rest :P

[IAPsSMIDSY]

@Azyashi and plasma.

[casualbarbarian]

@IAPsSMIDSY did you miss the top comment?

[Orberror404]

@Azyashi Also, Plasma, Bose–Einstein condensate and Fermionic condensate.

[Pazma1]

How many states in the U.S.A? Two. The state of her and the state of him.

[nja122890]

Commonwealth and state are constitutionally identical, it's just a matter of semantics. Commonwealth is more of a statement that it's governed by the people, rather than a single tyrannical power like Parliament or a King (note that 3/4 are original colonies)

[Whoami691]

they have an american on the show..... >_> dont argue with QI, IT KNOWS EVERYTHING!

[Flashlax19]

actually its 44 California and Texas are both republics.

[Natesmodelrailroad]

@Flashlax19 Texas is a republic?

[Flashlax19]

@Natesmodelrailroad Yes I believe so.

[kushp89]

they're states -_-

[rmm2000]

Affection Anger Angst Annoyance Anxiety Apathy Arousal Awe Boldness Boredom Contempt Contentment Curiosity Depression Desire Despair Disappointment Disgust Dread Ecstasy Embarrassment Envy Euphoria Excitement Fear Fearlessness Frustration Gratitude Grief Guilt Happiness Hatred Hope Horror Hostility Hysteria Indifference Interest Jealousy Joy Loathing Loneliness Love Lust Misery Panic Passion Pity Pleasure Pride Rage Regret Remorse Sadness Satisfaction Shame Shock Shyness Sorrow Suffering

[Pazma1]

@rmm2000

Oh, I see what you've done there. Who's a clever boy then?

[Jasonhand1993]

1 state they missed out, your mum

[einootspork]

The "commonwealth" thing is a technicality. It's just a name; they're still counted federally just like states.

I'd call BS on this, but these sorts of tiny little technicalities are what make QI so much fun.

[waldoman7]

south carolina there, appears to have no straight lines. Granted there's that little bit on the northeast, but it's not a whole border. Without some sort of distinction like that, every state has straight lines if you just look small.

[IzaFaqat]

commonwealth and state are the same thing

[blondemario]

@IzaFaqat I always thought that commonwealths were collections of states. Actually, you're probably right.

[ChromaAurora]

So it's 46 states and 4 commonwealths, OK then, but would there technically be 51 capitals within the U.S, not 50? I'm counting the state/commonwealth capitals plus the federal capital.

[therrydicule]

@ChromaAurora Yes, there is 51 capital, but 46 state and 4 commonwealths... Maybe more if you consider San Juan and the other kind of oddities...

[CreditDue52]

Anyone read 'How The States Got Their Shapes'? Great book. That will tell you how certain states have straight lines and the like

[Primus2X]

I always think 51 for some reason.

[DarthGarz]

They are all states. The term "commonwealth" is just a title, like calling the Queen "Defender of the Faith."

[ixigray]

....quite right ;)

[lazydancer22]

well thats awkward. i spent 15 years thinking massachusetts was a state...i live in the us

[Jonmad17]

@lazydancer22 It is a state, by both cultural and federal definition.

[lazydancer22]

@Jonmad17 oh thank god. im not goiing crazy. this show is lying to me...

[SBFloppie]

Don't blame us for the straight lines. Look at the territorial maps of the colonies...those lines were drawn by British and French monarchs.

[jacksawild]

@SBFloppie One thing about Monarchic states is they love their rulers. boom boom. I'll get me coat.

[surrealIdeal]

there are 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. that's it.

[Metatality]

Does YouTube keep track of the Snake scores, cause I'm getting really good at it?

[stevendurr]

if they're going to be all technical then states don't have lines, they have geodesics

[jacksawild]

@stevendurr Which are non-euclidean straight lines, if I remember my geometry.

[trlkly]

While they may call themselves commonwealths, they are still officially states. All of our laws treat them as such.

[TheSlinkyGuyShow]

@trlkly Yeah to you tanks, maybe.

[Mangina9000]

@trlkly Exactly, it's the difference between calling something a township and a municipality or a city. There isn't any inherent difference. Still, saying that there are actually 46 states because 4 are commonwealths is a nice way to get people to not talk to you at a party, which allows you to focus on drinking chardonnay and considering what grand piano you're going to buy.

[acr08807]

@Mangina9000 There is a difference between cities and townships--in the US, the latter are (all, as far as I know) unincorporated. Our commonwealths declared themselves to be such to indicate that they did not hold their governing authority as a consequence of their colonial charters, but rather by consent of the people. Thus those states would not recognize privileges granted by the crown in their courts. I'm not aware of any cases that turn on the issue, though.

[naryanr]

@trlkly I love how you have 46 thumbs up when I saw this. What are the chances?

[razorbacker63]

now that is a trick question. cant wait to get to the bar tomorrow.

[VictoriaRoseC]

really because i live in Massachusetts and i was always taught that there are 50 states in the USA. That is very funny if true because that would mean the "State" that our president lives in isn't a state at all

[irishgodfatherchris]

@VictoriaRoseC D.C is the special district that is part of the US but not part of any state

[darthkarr]

@irishgodfatherchris called the district of columbia, and the reason why it was never made a state i believe was that someone made a thing which stated that the federal captial should be distinct from any state to take care of its own maintenence and safty

[gbushimprov]

@darthkarr And get shafted by congress whenever they're in a mood.

[SDubDaBulldogg]

@VictoriaRoseC I'm a MA resident as well. Learned the same thing growing up. However, I didn't know that there were 4 Commonwealths hahaha

[PsychoPirate1166]

wooo! the state i live in isn't a state!

[TrufflesTheMushroom]

This clip demonstrates very clearly how cute Rich Hall's hands and wrists are.

[PrezLeefun]

The lines in the west ,are from the account that when the number of settlers reached a certain amount per square mile the federal government began to count the space so across the map the box like states began to pop up.

[SeanTheOriginal]

So technically, I don't live in a State of the US... Cool.

[00Billy]

you ever try to build a curved jagged fences? Sheesh.



[AvalaDemson]

whats the point in rhetorical questions?

[TheNaughtyPom]

'Anyway, gosh how interesting"

I lol :D

[victorpenguin]

It's a bit disingenuous to conflate the constitutional role of the states with their official names. The honest question would be "Of the political entities which constitute the US, how many are officially called states?"

But that isn't very funny.

[flygweilo]

I'm sorry but the researchers at Qi have got this one wrong (again!). They don't often, but they have on this one.

These four states may each be called "The Commonwealth of ..", but they are nonetheless defined as 'States' under the US Constitution.

Don't blame Stephen Fry - he doesn't do the research ....

[7tnorris]

The question in this video is wrong. There are fifty states in the USA.

The question needs to be reworded as, "How many states in the USA are traditionally called Commonwealths?"  Answer: four.

Apparently this is not taught in Europe.

[MrsJellyCat]

@7tnorris Why should it be? Its not exactly important to Europeans is it?

[7tnorris]

@MrsJellyCat Well smarty pants, apparently it is important to Europeans. Is this not a British television show?

[MrsJellyCat]

@7tnorris Why yes, Mr Sarcasm, it is a British show- a British show about *quite interesting* bits of information that people *otherwise may not know*.

[7tnorris]

@MrsJellyCat This an entertaining program and I enjoy it very much. I would point out that it is foremost a comedy show and not the most reliable source of educational material. There are lots of inaccuracies in the questions though they are always good for a laugh....

[7tnorris]

@MrsJellyCat ....The earth DOESN'T have two moons, Edison did NOT invent the word "hello", Aristotle did NOT write that house flys have four legs, George Washington WAS the first US President and there ARE 50 states in the US, just to name a few. Amazing and funny show, nevertheless.

[MrsJellyCat]

@7tnorris I agree. In fact, I'm rather confused at what or why we were argueing in the first place!

[SinoSene]

@7tnorris Yes, they are states of in the federal union, but they designate themselves as commonwealths. It doesn't impact anything apart from the name as far as i can see. It's just a historical curiosity. The official name of the state of Kentucky for example, is the Commonwealth of Kentucky...but these four commonwealths ARE states in the federal union!

[bookworm266]

@7tnorris. Referring to all Brits as "dumbasses" does not indicate a high level of either intelligence or vocabulary in yourself.

[bookworm266]

@7tnorris. You are on.

[7tnorris]

@bookworm266 FYI, I did not refer to all Brits as "dumbasses". I was only talking about the ones responsible for this stupid question.

Dumbass!

[joeylogoo]

what the hell is he talking about. I live in massachusetts and i was always taught that their was 50 states including massachusetts and so on.

[paparoach585]

@MrTater122 obama thinks that there's 58 !

[CairoDuqane]

@paparoach585 and the Republicans think there are 49

[Serpico69]

@MrTater122 46 states. 4 commonwealths. ya cunt.

[dLema1]

Yeah, what's the deal with the USA and their square states?

[ManofManyPasswords]

Yea, I wish they were circle

[randomstuffinc]

@dLema1 Easier to put on a map?

[pincushionllama]

@randomstuffinc dont foget about the mason-dixon line that went across the states.

[randomstuffinc]

@pincushionllama I did not forget about it I just don't know what it is XD. would you care to enlighten me?

[pincushionllama]

@randomstuffinc wiki the mason dixon (it woudnt let me post it)

=) i guess making straight lines were easier? there are disputed today from the states seperated by a line on the river. (land masses shift) so exact states boudaries are shifting with it.

[DonMeaker]

@pincushionllama oddly, Delaware-Pennsylvania line has an arc of a circle. Latitude lines are not geometrically straight, only great circles lines are considered straight in spherical geometry

[bookworm266]

@dLema1. The same deal with Africa and their square countries. When the time came to split up the land they got a guy with a map and a ruler in to decide.

[pauta9]

@dLema1 Lack of imagination and not enough waterways.

[WinkyMcGee]

@dLema1 I know you don't actually want an answer but... states, specifically Western states (as well as most counties (political subdivision in states)) were admitted into the Union under the Northwest Ordinance in which Thomas Jefferson proposed, among other things, that states and counties be based on specific geometric patterns.

It's quite interesting really.

[cweiss88]

@dLema1 It's because most of the borders in Europe were drawn by war, so they are focused along geographic lines. The borders of the states were drawn up in congress many miles away, and focus on Latitudes and Longitudes.

[rossmcg]

@dLema1 In the eastern part of the U.S. the border of states were usually some geographical feature like a river or a mountain range. As we moved west we started to use Latitude and longitude lines because geographic features are fewer and farther between.

[RowrTiger]

@rossmcg exactly and this also had a lot to do with the gold rush and land holdings

[9reasy5am]

@dLema1 it makes 'em easier to draw (:D :P hurr)

[columbusmozart]

@dLema1

There's only four "square" states, and that's because the territory was marked off along longitude and latitude lines.

[binaway]

@columbusmozart Only square states and straight line borders on a flat cylindrical projection map. As the world is a sphere they would all be gentle curves. The same with most of the US Canadian, the 49th parallel, border.(_)