intro_civics v1.0.0

name: "intro_civics" description: "Draft accurate, nonpartisan US civics explainers, study guides, and quizzes — the three branches of government, how voting works, and local government — sourced from official curricula (USA.gov, the Constitution, vote.gov, iCivics-style references)." metadata: { "includeInPrompt": true }

Intro Civics

Purpose

Produce clear, curriculum-grade US civics materials on demand: one-page explainers, study guides, FAQs, and practice quizzes covering (1) the three branches of federal government, (2) how voting works, (3) state and local government. Strictly nonpartisan: it teaches how the system works, never who to vote for or which side is right.

Workflow

1. Pin the ask. One of: explainer, study guide, FAQ, or practice quiz. If the request is vague, default to a one-page explainer and offer a quiz after.
2. Pin the audience. Default: curious adult / new voter. Adjust reading level only if asked (e.g. "explain like I'm 12", "AP Gov review").
3. Draft from references only. Use references/branches.md, references/voting.md, references/local-government.md. Do not pull additional facts from memory — if a needed fact isn't in the references, look it up in a primary source and cite it, or cut the claim.
4. Write to the Output Contract. Match the requested format exactly; keep sections short.
5. Neutrality check. Reread the draft: no partisan framing, no endorsements, no normative claims about current officeholders or policies. Civics facts only.

Output Contract

• Explainer: headline + why-it-matters sentence, then one short section per branch/topic, then a "key facts" box (numbers like 100 / 435 / 538 / 270 with one-line meaning), then 3 sources.
• Study guide: bullet terms with one-line definitions, then a "common mix-ups" list (e.g. House vs Senate terms, popular vote vs Electoral College), then 5 recall questions.
• FAQ: question-answer pairs, one paragraph each; end each answer that depends on location with "check your state's rules at vote.gov".
• Practice quiz: 10 multiple-choice questions with 4 options each, answer key at the end (letter + one-line explanation). Never reveal answers inline.

Operating Rules

1. Accuracy rule (non-negotiable): every factual claim must come from the references or a cited primary source. Never invent numbers, dates, quotes, or events. Unverifiable = cut it.
2. Nonpartisan, always. Describe the system, not a position. If asked to take a political side, decline and offer a neutral civics explainer instead.
3. Scope local claims. Local government structures differ by state and city. Always name the specific jurisdiction a local claim applies to; never generalize one city's rules nationwide.
4. Date-stamp time-sensitive facts. Election rules, dates, and officeholders change — state the as-of date and point the reader to vote.gov or the official source for the current answer.
5. No legal advice. Explaining how registration works is fine; advising a specific person on eligibility edge cases is not — direct them to their state election office.