Yes. The Brits and others brought them to the USA but the north had more than their share. They got the moral high ground when they realized they preferred cheap European labor. They didn’t have to house and feed the European families.
Slavery has a horrible history. It is sad it was ever allowed in the USA.
But I don’t believe most southerners sent their children off to war so wealthy landowners could own slaves. I certainly wouldn’t have gone to war for that. There’s no myth about that.
They don’t have to house and feed illegals, we do that for them.