Why were many factories built in new england in the 1800s? a) it was landlocked, making it easier to safeguard the factories from spies who wanted to steal the new technology. b) many wealthy merchants lived in the region, and they had the capital to fund the factories. c) cotton grew in abundance in new england, so it was easily accessible to the textile factories. d) new england contained the biggest power grid in the nation, so electricity to the new factories was unlimited.