State
a whole people united into a body politic; a civil and self-governing community. Also, any body of men constituting a community of a particular character in virtue of certain political privileges, who partake either directly or by representation in the government of their country; an estate; as, The Lords spiritual and temporal and the Commons are the states (or estates) of the realm in Great Britain.
In the plural, the legislative body in the island of Jersey, England. It consists of 55 persons, including the bailiff of the island, who is ex officio president.
The lieutenant-governor has a power of veto, and the States may not be convened without his consent. Guernsey has an analogous body, the Deliberative States, and a more popular assembly, the Elective States. In both islands the States deal only with questions of internal administration. Also, one of the commonwealths or bodies politic which together go to compose a Federal republic, and which STATE BANKS stand in certain specified relations with the central or national government, and, as regards internal affairs, are more or less independent; as, the State of Pennsylvania.