During my middle and high school years, I found it strange to say a pledge to the United States flag, “and to the republic for which it stands,” and in the same class, be taught the United States was a democracy. The teacher would correct my inquisitive nature by stating, “It’s semantics. Democracy and republic are really the same thing. The United States is a democratic republic.” Not satisfied with that justification of semantics and nuance, I continued to explore and discover the difference between U.S. republic and democracy, and I’m still exploring it today. Let’s explore and discover together!...