The Grand Constitutions of 1786, in the earliest known text in the possession of John Mitchell and Frederick Dalcho, provided for two Supreme Councils in the United States. The Supreme Council at Charleston sent one of its Active members to New York and authorized him to establish in 1813 a Supreme Council for the Northern Jurisdiction of the United States of America. With this accomplished, the Supreme Council at Charleston in 1827 ceded to the Northern Supreme Council the 15 states north of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi rivers. The Southern Supreme Council retained jurisdiction over all other states and territories (at home and abroad) of the United States.

The Supreme Council, 33°, Southern Jurisdiction, is the governing body for Scottish Rite Freemasonry. With its headquarters in Washington, D.C., the Supreme Council elects its own Active Members and is self-perpetuating. It charters Subordinate Bodies in cities (called Valleys) of states, territories, or countries (called Orients). In the Southern Jurisdiction, the Subordinate Bodies must observe the Statutes of our Supreme Council, its orders and regulations and, when the Supreme Council is not in session, those of the Sovereign Grand Commander.              

The Supreme Council meets every other year, at which time the business of the Rite is transacted and KCCH, 33˚ and Grand Cross honors are conferred on those who have been elected to receive these honors.