Wealthy and influential is the right answer.
The colonies of the United States did not want to have a strong centralized government, because they did not want the government to become a tyranny. Hence, they did not even provide the national government with some very significant powers such as the power of issuing money, imposing taxes, enforcing laws, and regulating trade etc. Congress during this time led to a lack of economic integration, that caused many of America’s economic woes, hence, it affected the wealthy and influential in the states