Timeline (LLM Prompt)

First, two example outputs. Second, the prompt.

I create flashcards for these timelines. The {}'s are cloze deletions.

Example #1: Benjamin Franklin Timeline

Me:

Benjamin Franklin

LLM: 

[... Analysis ...]

- 1706: Benjamin Franklin is born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Josiah Franklin, a candle maker, and Abiah Folger. (0 years old)
- 1718: Apprentices as a printer with his brother James, acquiring skills that will shape his career. (12)
- 1723: Franklin runs away to Philadelphia, seeking more opportunities and a fresh start. (17)
- 1728: Establishes a successful printing business with a partner in Philadelphia, publishing *The Pennsylvania Gazette*. (22)
- {1732}: {Begins publishing *Poor Richard's Almanack*, filled with wit, wisdom, and practical advice, making him famous.} (26)
- 1736: Founding of the Union Fire Company in Philadelphia, a precursor to modern fire departments. (30)
- {1743}: {Proposes the formation of the American Philosophical Society, promoting scientific knowledge and discovery.} (37)
- 1748: Retires from printing to focus on scientific research and civic causes, gaining recognition for his experiments with electricity. (42)
- 1752: Conducts his famous kite experiment, proving that lightning is a form of electricity. (46)
- 1757: Travels to England as a colonial representative to address Pennsylvania’s concerns about taxes and land disputes. (51)
- {1776}: {Helps draft the Declaration of Independence and signs it as a representative of Pennsylvania.} (70)
- 1778: Negotiates a crucial alliance with France during the American Revolutionary War, securing financial and military support. (72)
- 1785: Returns to America and becomes President of the Pennsylvania Executive Council, focusing on political reforms. (79)
- 1787: Plays a significant role in drafting the U.S. Constitution at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. (81)
- 1790: Benjamin Franklin dies in Philadelphia at age 84, leaving a lasting legacy as a statesman, inventor, and diplomat. (84)

Example #2: Sam Zemurray Case Study

Me:

[Pasting "The Rise of Sam Zemurray, Banana King" full text from Commoncog]

LLM:

[... Analysis ...]

- 1877: Samuel Zemurray (born Schmuel Zmurri) is born into a poor Jewish family in western Russia. (0 years old)
- 1892: After his father’s death, Zemurray emigrates to America with his aunt, settling in Selma, Alabama, working odd jobs to support his family. (15)
- 1895: Zemurray saves enough money to bring his family from Russia to America, demonstrating early ambition and financial success. (18)
- 1897: Zemurray discovers the potential of bananas, buying discarded “ripes” at the Mobile docks and reselling them in nearby towns, launching his first banana venture. (20)
- {1903}: {Zemurray strikes a deal with United Fruit (UF), securing exclusive rights to sell ripe bananas from UF shipments, boosting his sales to 574,000 bananas that year.} (26)
- 1905: Zemurray acquires Cuyamel Fruit Company and Thatcher Brothers Steamship Company, starting with $30k in capital. UF takes a 25% stake in his operations. (28)
- 1910: Zemurray relocates to Honduras to oversee Cuyamel’s expansion firsthand, building a successful business from local banana plantations. (33)
- 1914: Zemurray buys back UF's stake in Cuyamel, gaining full control and ensuring the company’s independence. (37)
- {1924}: {Zemurray pays off all his debts, making Cuyamel the biggest competitor to UF and marking a major milestone in his entrepreneurial journey.} (47)
- 1925: Zemurray rejects UF's offer to buy out Cuyamel, showing his commitment to competing against the industry giant. (48)
- {1930}: {Cuyamel merges with UF, with Zemurray eventually taking over UF’s leadership, influencing global banana trade and geopolitics.} (53)
- 1950s: Zemurray continues to impact UF and banana trade policies, famously involved in political maneuvers across Central America. (70+)
- 1961: Zemurray retires from the banana business after decades of influence, reshaping UF's operations and strategy. (84)
- 1961: Zemurray establishes philanthropic initiatives, contributing to education and social causes in the U.S. and Central America. (84)
- 1961: Zemurray passes away, leaving behind a legacy as a pivotal figure in both business and geopolitics, particularly in Central America. (84)

Prompt

You are an expert historian and analyst tasked with creating an accurate and representative timeline of events based on given input. Your goal is to extract the most important information and present it in a clear, chronological format that is worth memorizing.

The input can be one of the following:
1. A block of text containing historical information
2. A person's name
3. An event name

Here is the input you need to analyze:

<input_text>
{{TEXT}}
</input_text>

Please follow these steps to create the timeline:

1. Carefully read and analyze the input.

2. Extract and list all dates and events mentioned in the input. If the input is a person's name or an event name, research and gather relevant information about their life or the event's chronology.

3. Categorize the events based on their importance:
   a) Crucial events (key reasons why the story is known)
   b) Important events (crucial details in the story)
   c) Context-providing events (sum up the story or give key context that ties together other events)

4. Select the 10-15 most important events that present a nuanced perspective of the story.

5. Determine the three most crucial events that will be highlighted in the timeline.

Before creating the final timeline, provide your analysis inside <event_analysis> tags. In this analysis:

1. List all extracted dates and events chronologically, numbering each one.
2. For each event, categorize it as crucial, important, or context-providing, and provide a brief justification. For example:
   1. 1900: Person born in City, Country
      Category: Important
      Justification: Provides essential context for the beginning of the person's life

3. Select and number the 10-15 most important events, providing a short explanation for each selection. For example:
   1. 1920: Significant event that shaped person's life or career
      Explanation: This event was a turning point in the person's life and set the stage for their future achievements.

4. Rank the three most crucial events and explain why they are the most important.

5. Explain how you ensured accuracy and representativeness in your selection.

6. If the timeline is about a person, make sure to include and justify the inclusion of:
   * Where and when the person was born
   * Information about their parents' occupations, success, and socioeconomic status (if available)
   * Where and when they graduated college

7. If the timeline is about a business, explain how you included information about how the business raised capital to start.

It's OK for this section to be quite long to ensure a thorough analysis.

After your analysis, create the final timeline using the following format:

- Each event should be 10-20 words long.
- Use this format for each entry: <year>: <event description> (age, if applicable)
- Surround the three most important dates and events with {}'s.
- For timelines about a person, include their age in parentheses at various points and at the end of the timeline.

Here's an example of the desired format (note that this is a generic example without specific content):

1900: Person born in City, Country (0 years old)
{1920}: {Significant event that shaped person's life or career} (20)
1930: Another important event in person's life (30)
1945: Career-related achievement or personal milestone (45)
{1960}: {Major contribution or pivotal moment in person's life} (60)
1980: Final significant event or achievement (80)

After creating the timeline, review it to ensure it accurately represents the input and includes all required elements. Make any necessary adjustments to improve accuracy and representativeness.