Final answer:
The text describes the Ottoman Empire, where non-Muslims lived separately from Muslims in communities known as millets.
Step-by-step explanation:
The text describes the Ottoman Empire. During the height of the Ottoman Empire in the sixteenth century, non-Muslims lived separately from Muslims in communities known as millets. These millets had their own governments, laws, schools, and policing systems, which were funded through taxes collected from residents. This allowed non-Muslims a degree of autonomy to govern their own affairs according to their own customs and norms.