Soda pop is a sweet, fizzy drink made by dissolving carbon dioxide gas in flavored, sugary water. When you open a bottle or can, you hear that satisfying hiss as the trapped gas escapes, and when you pour it into a glass, thousands of tiny bubbles rise to the surface.

Today, people around the country use different words for the same thing: some say soda, others say pop, and still others call any fizzy drink a coke (even if it's not Coca-Cola).

Soda pop was invented in the late 1700s, when scientists figured out how to add carbonation to water. By the 1800s, pharmacists were creating flavored versions at soda fountains in their stores, mixing carbonated water with special syrups. Popular flavors like cola, root beer, and orange emerged during this era. What started as an occasional treat became one of America's most popular beverages, though the basic idea remains the same: cold, sweet, bubbly refreshment.