Here's a breakdown:
* Independent Clause: A complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence. It has a subject and a verb.
* Compound Sentence: Two or more independent clauses joined together by a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) or a semicolon (;).
Example:
* The sun was shining brightly, *and* the birds were singing.
Let me know if you'd like more examples or have any other questions!