1848 - John Philip Sousa's parents were married
1854 - John Philip Sousa was born
        - Parents moved to the United States
1858 - Parents moved to their first house.
1859 - John Philip Sousa became ill because he stood out in the cold refusing the orders of his mother
1861 - Started studying music
1867 - A circus band asked Sousa to join but Sousa's dad wouldn't let him
1870 - Marine during the day and a musician at night
1872 - Sousa's first composition was published. It was called Moonlight on the Potomac Waltz
1874 - Played the violin professionally
1879 - Married Jane van Middlesworth Bellis
1880 - Became the 14th leader of the U.S. Marine Band
1886 - Wrote his first recognized march
1889 - First called the "March King"
1891 - Went on first band tour with the Marine Band
1892 - The Sousa Band was started
        - The Sousaphone was created and named after Sousa
1906 - He fought for composer's rights
1910 - The Sousa Band went on a world tour
1917 - Enlisted in the Navy when he was 62 years old
1920-1931 - Helped school bands and orchestras
1932 - Died of a heart attack on March 6