Reconstruction The word reconstruction has two definitions. One with a lowercase letter and one with a capital letter. The action or process of reconstructing or being reconstructed is the definition with a lowercase letter. The process by which the states that had seceded were reorganized as part of the Union after the Civil War is the definition with a capital letter. The Civil War was a very hard and devastating war. Reconstruction was very much needed by both definitions. A goal of reconstruction was to bring the states that had been part of the CSA back to the Union. Also to make the freed slaves citizens so they came up with plans. Reconstruction was both a success and a failure because it achieved some of its goals while still failing
