Why do you think so many merchants and manufacturers were federalists?

Many merchants and manufacturers were federalists because they needed the bill of rights to be put into the constitution, they weren't wealthy and all they had going for them was their hard working jobs. The bill of rights protected them and allowed them to input trust into their government, which they hadn't been able to do under the articles of confederation since there was no real power given to the federal government, all was given to the states.