system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5 what's the difference between a state and a province?
gpt
Technically, a state is an independent political entity, while a province is a sub-section of a state.

The confusion arises from nomenclature not keeping pace with politics.  The United States was, when founded, similar to the modern European Union.  It was a union of various sovereign entities.  However, after the Civil War, the entire union became a nation of its own and the 'state' label wasn't updated to reflect this fact.

You see the same issue with the United Kingdom.  The United Kingdom is actually the United Kingdoms - of Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England.  So you've got a nation state that's actually the union of 4 'kingdom's that are neither sovereign nor ruled by a king.