If you look closely at the United States Pledge of Allegiance, you'll see that it calls the United States a republic. It reads: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." So what does that mean, exactly? Can the United States be both a democracy and a republic? And what is the difference between a democracy and republic, anyway?

As it turns out, there are subtle, but important, differences between a democracy and a republic, and that the definitions aren't mutually exclusive. In other words, it's complicated. But don't worry! Knowing the differences between a republic vs a democracy is important for tons of AP exams, including both history tests (U.S. and world) and both government and politics tests (U.S. and comparative). That's why we've put this guide together for you.

By the end of this article, you'll know the definitions of a democracy and a republic, how they operate, the differences between them, and where the United States fits into the discussion.

So let's get started!

Prepositions are one of the eight parts of speech in the English language, and they’re pretty important. Prepositions allow us to create complex sentences and add in important details. They play a crucial role in helping sentences make sense, which is super important when you need to communicate clearly and effectively.

But if you have to sit down and give an accurate preposition definition, things can get a little tricky. You may know that prepositions are usually short words like at, for, in, on, or under, but what is a preposition as a part of speech? What do prepositions do, and how the heck do you identify a preposition in a sentence?

To help you become an expert on prepositions, we’re going to talk about the following in this article:

• Answer the questions “What is a preposition?” and “What does preposition mean?”
• Explain each type of preposition definition with examples of each type used in a sentence
• Provide a list of four top tips for identifying prepositions in sentences

If there’s a specific type of preposition you want to know more about—like prepositions of space—you can find the information quickly by holding Command + F on your keyboard, then typing in the term you’re looking for.

Now without further ado, let’s get started!

If you’re trying to learn the grammatical rules of English, you’ve probably been asked to learn the parts of speech. But what are parts of speech and how many are there? How do you know which words are classified in each part of speech?

The answers to these questions can be a bit complicated—English is a difficult language to learn and understand. Don’t fret, though! We’re going to answer each of these questions for you with a full guide to the parts of speech that explains the following:

• What the parts of speech are, including a comprehensive parts of speech list
• Parts of speech definitions for the individual parts of speech. (If you’re looking for information on a specific part of speech, you can search for it by pressing Command + F, then typing in the part of speech you’re interested in.) 
• Parts of speech examples
• A ten question quiz covering parts of speech definitions and parts of speech examples

We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s begin!

When you start breaking it down, the English language is pretty complicated—especially if you're trying to learn it from scratch! One of the most important English words to understand is the.

But what part of speech is the word the, and when should it be used in a sentence? Is the word the a preposition? Is the a pronoun? Or is the word the considered a different part of speech?

To help you learn exactly how the word the works in the English language, we're going to do the following in this article:

• Answer the question, "What part of speech is the?"
• Explain how to use the correctly in sentences, with examples
• Provide a full list of other words that are classified as the same part of speech as the in the English language

Okay, let's get started learning about the word the!

Anyone (of any age!) who’s interested in increasing their English vocabulary or literacy skills needs to be familiar with sight words—what they are, how they work in the English language, and which words are considered sight words!

One effective way to master sight words is by playing games. Science shows that high-quality educational games can be effective tools to help you learn new concepts and skills. And hey—who doesn’t want to have fun while learning?

To help you choose sight word games that are proven to be effective at increasing vocabulary and enhancing literacy skills, we’ve compiled a full guide to sight word games and activities for you. Included in this article are:

• A definition of what sight words are and why they’re important
• Three do-it-yourself sight word games
• Three physical sight word games
• Three digital sight word games and sight word apps

So by the end of this post, you’ll have nine sight word games and activities that can help you improve both your vocabulary and reading skills!

Controversial topics are a good choice for an essay or debate because they immediately draw in the reader or listener. The adage that “controversy sells” is so rooted in society that even the rapper Chamillionaire named his second album after it! Controversial issues are also a good topic because it’s easier to write a strong thesis and find sources to back up your argument. After all, when something is controversial, everybody wants to have their say over it.

However, it’s also important that you address controversial issues with sensitivity and care. Because controversial topics tend to raise emotions, you must walk a thin line between opinion and fact in order to build trust between you and your reader/listener.

In this article, we’re going to give you the best controversial topics you can use for essays and debates—and we’ll explain the controversies for you, too! We’ll also discuss when to use controversial topics, the pros and cons of choosing a controversial issue, and tips for making sure you’re treating a controversial topic with sensitivity and respect.

That’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

What makes someone a “good” writer? While there are lots of answers to that question, one thing most great writers do is vary their sentence structure. They mix long, flowing sentences with short, powerful ones to communicate their points. 

But don’t worry: you can learn to do this, too! It starts with understanding different types of sentences and their structures. One type of sentence you’ve probably heard of that can add variety and depth to your writing is a complex sentence. But what are complex sentences, exactly? 

We’re here to help you understand exactly what complex sentences are and why they’re important by covering the following in this article: 

• Answering the question, “What is a complex sentence?”
• Discussing when to use complex sentences
• Reviewing the different parts of complex sentences 
• Explaining the difference between complex sentences, compound sentences, and compound-complex sentences 

Ready to become a complex sentence wizard? Then let's get started!

JROTC and ROTC programs designed to train future U.S. Military officers at middle schools, high schools, and universities across the United States. Some students join JROTC or ROTC because they want a career in the military, while others are more curious about how the program can help them pay for college.

It turns out that there’s a lot to learn about the benefits and requirements of ROTC programs! That’s why we’ve put together a complete guide to JROTC and ROTC.

By the end of this article, you’ll have a great understanding of JROTC and ROTC programs and whether they’re a good option for you. We’ll also answer frequently asked questions, like:

• What is ROTC?
• How are JROTC and ROTC different?
• Who is a good fit for JROTC and ROTC?
• Are there different types of JROTC and ROTC programs?
• What are the pros and cons of joining JROTC and ROTC?

Now let’s get started!

In the digital age, people are always searching for new ways to use online resources to their advantage. One increasingly popular resource is online education. Now you can take college classes online, which can help you save time and money.

But in the grand scheme of educational opportunities, online college classes are still relatively new, so you might not know what they are or how they work. In this article, we’re going to dig into the important info about online college courses to help you navigate the various opportunities for online education that are out there. We’ll talk about:

• What online college courses are
• What online courses are like for students, how they work, and how they compare to in-person college courses
• The pros and cons of taking online courses, and
• 4 free online college courses you can take right now

By the end of the article, you’ll know everything you need to know about taking college classes online, so let’s get started!

Zeus: Greek god of thunder, king of all men, hurler of lightning bolts. You know this guy, right? Kind of? Or maybe not?

Zeus is the king of the Greek gods, which makes him one of the most important members of the Greek Pantheon. Not only is he the god of thunder and the sky, he’s also the subject of many famous Greek myths. So if you want to understand Greek mythology, you should start by getting to know Zeus.

So let’s dive in and learn all that there is to know about Zeus, Greek god of all Greek gods.

You’ve probably heard of the Shakespearean sonnet, or maybe even the Petrarchan sonnet. But those are just two types of sonnets. There are actually many other forms! 

As new poets have tinkered with more traditional approaches to the sonnet over time, they’ve come up with their own approaches to writing sonnets, too. In this article, we’re going to help you learn about all of the major types of sonnets by:

• Briefly introducing you to the sonnet
• Breaking down different types of sonnets, including an example and analysis of each type
• Explaining nine poetic terms you need to know in order to successfully analyze the different types of sonnets

Are you ready? Let’s check out some sonnets!

If you’re studying biology, the concept of mitosis is pretty unavoidable. Mitosis is part of the cell cycle, and studying how cells work makes up a huge portion of any biology class. It’s safe to say you’re going to need some working knowledge of mitosis if you’re looking to breeze through any biology-related course or exam. 

Here’s what we’re going to cover in this article so you’re up to speed on the purpose of mitosis, how the process of mitosis works, and why mitosis is important to know about. We will:

• Answer the question, “What is the purpose of mitosis?” (definition and explanation of the importance of mitosis included)
• Description of the 4 phases of mitosis
• Review the similarities and differences between mitosis and meiosis
• Our top three tips for studying and memorizing the stages of mitosis, and
• Three resources for further learning about mitosis!

And, now, let our journey through the world of mitosis begin!

In case you haven’t heard, according to Taylor Swift, spelling is fun! But if Taylor’s word isn’t enough to convince you, we’ve come up with a list of ways that playing spelling games can actually improve your spelling, including examples of 10 spelling games that are excellent options for kids, adults, or anyone who wants to improve their spelling skills! (Don’t worry: the possibilities for spelling games go way beyond Scrabble.)

You've probably heard about sonnets in your English class, so you already know that sonnets are an important poetic form. But it can be tough to understand what they're saying!

The good news is that everyone can learn to understand poetry. It just takes practice! That's why we've picked the top 10 famous sonnets of all time and explained them. Reading the sonnet alongside an expert explanation will help you not only understand what the sonnet's about, but it will help you test your own analytical skills, too. 

To help you master the sonnet, our guide is going to do the following:

• Define the term “sonnet”
• List and analyze the top ten sonnets of all time
• List our top five resources for learning more about sonnets

Now, without further delay, let’s check out some sonnets and sonnet examples!

The Romantic Era is famous for its poetry--in fact, Romanticism is one of the most influential periods in the history of English poetry.

It’s a pretty safe bet that you’ll have to tackle Romantic poetry at some point, whether it’s in your English classes or on the AP Literature and Language exam. That’s why we’ve whipped up a crash course on the Romantic Era for you! We’ll explain the following in our crash course:

• Answer the question, “What is Romanticism?” by providing a Romanticism definition and describing the historical context of the era
• Explain Romanticism characteristics that are unique to the period’s philosophy and literature
• Give an overview of the key traits of Romanticism literature and poetry, including Romanticism examples
• List the six most important Romantic poets you need to know
• List five books for further reading if you want to learn more about the Romantic Era!

There’s a lot to cover about Romanticism, so let’s get started!