The Palmer Raids were the ones deported over 500 suspected anarchists and leftists in the 1920s
I have no idea what book or story you are talking about, but based on my knowledge of Law... asking a person the same question over and over and cause a reaction in their fight or flight extinct, the person will start to become worried and they'll either start changing their answer or they'll break down completely. I'm guessing the when Hathorne asked the same question several times to Sarah, she started to get nervous.
I hope this kinda helped
They were called <span>peasants</span>
