It cannot be stressed enough that this film deals with death, murder, insanity, disease, infanticide, alcoholism, arson, and other disturbing events. However, none of this is played for horror value, and everything is shown from an historical context. Many of the more shocking events are revealed primarily through narrated newspaper clippings, and the related visuals are more suggestive than graphic.
Footage of a man hanging is used twice, once at the very beginning and once toward the end of the film.
Photographs of dead children in coffins are displayed.
Several scenes portray dead bodies being discovered.
Several scenes of people on the verge of committing or attempting suicide. Most of these are portrayed in a non-graphic manner though the intent is very clear (i.e. a girl sinking beneath a lake; a man lying across train tracks as train approaches).
Several scenes of burning buildings.
Photographs of Native Americans whose faces have been disfigured by smallpox scars are briefly displayed.