A surgical cutting and fastening instrument (10) is disclosed. According to various embodiments, the instrument includes an end effector (12) comprising a moveable cutting instrument (33). The instrument also includes a main drive shaft assembly (48) for actuating the cutting instrument in the end effector. The instrument also includes a handle (6) comprising a gear drive train (72) connected to the main drive shaft assembly, a motor (65) for actuating the gear drive train, a closure trigger (18) for causing the end effector to clamp an object positioned in the end effector when the closure trigger is retracted, and a firing trigger (20) separate from the closure trigger for actuating the motor when the firing trigger is retracted. The instrument further comprises means (14) for articulating the end effector.
