Why did suffragist decide to adopt a state by state strategy rather than campaign for a constitutional amendment?

Suffragists opted for a state-by-state strategy because it allowed them to build support gradually and demonstrate their growing influence at the local level. This approach enabled them to secure voting rights in individual states, creating a patchwork of suffrage laws that could ultimately pressure Congress to consider a constitutional amendment. Additionally, they believed that winning state-level victories would help to shift public opinion and demonstrate the viability of women's suffrage, making a national amendment more politically feasible.