These are the 3 most contentious elections in US history

By Nathan Rousseau Smith, Buzz60

2016 will be a race for the record books.

Not only for the two historic candidates, but also for the level of discourse, which for more than a year has included name calling, innuendo, and attacks from all sides.

SEE MORE: In-depth coverage of the 2016 election

But even all this pales in comparison to some of the nastiest presidential elections we've seen when you look back through the lens of history.

American politics has a long and nasty track record.

Back in 1800, whoever lost the presidency became Vice President. But the bloody aftermath between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams was so bad the constitution had to be amended.

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One newspaper editor called Adams a, "hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman."

Meanwhile, a paper supporting Adams said if Jefferson were to be elected, "murder, robbery, rape, adultery, and incest will be openly taught and practiced...."

In a bizarre series of events, Jefferson tied with his running mate Aaron Burr, causing Congress to step in to break the tie.

After some lobbying by Alexander Hamilton, Jefferson was made president, Burr became VEEP, and three years later Hamilton was killed in a duel with Burr.

Plus there's that musical that was made.

Moving on to the political battle in 1824 between four different candidates.

Andrew Jackson came in first and John Quincy Adams took second.

While Jackson may have ended up with the popular vote and the most electoral votes, he failed to capture the electoral majority.

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Once again, the House had to decide the winner.

After a bunch of back dealings, those who supported the candidate that came in fourth place switched their loyalty to Adams, making him the President, despite Jackson winning the popular vote.

If that sounds familiar, it's because of 2000, a race in which Al Gore won the popular vote by over half a million votes, but lost the electoral count to George W. Bush, but only after the Supreme Court got involved.

The contentious legal drama stretched on for weeks, as we all learned what a hanging chad was.

So while the race for the White House has been venomous for centuries, one thing stands out in 2016, Twitter.