York Rite

The American system of masonic ritualism is known as the Rite of York or the American Rite, and adopted its current form in 1797 through the work of mason scholar Thomas Smith Webb , a Brother that worked on a compilation of Symbolic Degrees, Chapter Degrees, Cryptic Degrees and Knights Orders. Webb got the inspiration to draft the structure and the basic teachings of the rite from Illustrations of Freemasonry a book written by Willian Preston (1772) and also from the traditions and procedures of the Grand Lodge of Antiants (1751). The York Rite emerged, consolidating the doctrine coming from the Antiants. In October 24, 1751, Webb gather several Supreme Priests of the American Chapters in a Convention that took place in Boston. Following that assembly, the Companion Ephraim Kirby was elected in January 24, 1978, as Grand Supreme Priest of the York Rite. Following its election, the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons was created. In the United States the Symbolic Lodges are called as Blue Lodges. The Philosophical Lodges [that we call in Portugal High Degrees] are named "chapters". The York Rite is formed by 13 degrees starting with the symbolic degrees: Entered Apprentice; Fellow Craft and Master Mason; then follows the Chapter Degrees: Mark of Master, Past Master virtual, Most Excellent Master and Royal Arch Mason. The Cryptic Degrees are subsequent: Royal Master, Select Master and Super Excellent Master. The system conclude with the Knights Orders: the Order of The Red Cross, the Order of Malta and the Order of Knight Templar. The American York Rite has also a fellow organization in Portugal.[click]
More information here and here.