Question One way that the national government has exerted influence over state governments is Select an Answer A. through imposing home rule on the states. B. by defunding state legislatures when they fail to enact policies the national government supports. C. by restricting the amount of property taxes states may collect. D. by giving money to state and local governments if they agree to spend it for the purposes Congress specifies.

## Step 1<br />The question is asking about the ways in which the national government can exert influence over state governments. The options provided are different methods that the national government can use to influence state governments.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />Option A, "through imposing home rule on the states", is not a correct answer. Home rule refers to the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise control over its own government. This is not a method used by the national government to exert influence over state governments.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />Option B, "by defunding state legislatures when they fail to enact policies the national government supports", is also not a correct answer. While the national government can influence state legislatures, it does not have the power to defund them.<br /><br />## Step 4<br />Option C, "by restricting the amount of property taxes states may collect", is not a correct answer. The national government does not have the power to restrict the amount of property taxes states may collect.<br /><br />## Step 5<br />Option D, "by giving money to state and local governments if they agree to spend it for the purposes Congress specifies", is the correct answer. This is a method known as "grants-in-aid". The national government can influence state governments by providing funds for specific purposes, such as infrastructure development or education, and requiring states to comply with certain conditions in order to receive these funds.